Meus Contraho
by Curiositykils
Summary: My collection of Draco/Hermione oneshots. K to M rated as suitable and shown at the top of every chapter. Collection Complete. Check out Meus Contraho Duo for more oneshots! Update: 22/12/2013
1. Unknown

**Unknown**

**2604 words**

**Rating: T  
**

* * *

Hermione pushed open the heavy oak doors of the library and slipped out into the dark moonlit hallway. Glancing at her clock she hurried her stride as she realised she only had five minutes left before curfew started.

Ignoring her rumbling stomach, she made her way silently past the portrait of the Old Scholar and Candlestick and turned the corner. She had been so absorbed in the Charms essay she had been set earlier this morning that she had completely forgotten about dinner. Not just dinner but also her after dinner plans which involved refereeing Harry and Ron's chess tournament.

As her stomach gave another little rumble, she sighed and thought about how close she had come to finishing the essay before Madame Pince had interrupted her to close the library. Even though the tiredness that she had pushed away over the last few hours bore down on her, Hermione wondered if it was worth finishing the essay tonight thus leaving tomorrow free to proof read her Potions essay. Maybe she would even get a few hours free to do some campaigning for the newly reformed S.P.E.W?

More people seemed interested in the organisation than her previous attempt at raising awareness four years ago. Hermione wished it was because they suddenly saw the horrible way in which house elves were treated but deep down she had accepted that it was due to her increased status as a war hero and somewhat of a celebrity since the war ended.

Oh well, despite the reason they took her leaflets or came to her informative weekly meetings, at least her message was spreading.

As she heard an owl tooting in the distance and a wind howling through the hallway, she snapped out of her thoughts and felt the first prickle of awareness settle over her. It caused the fine hairs on the back of her neck to rise.

This is what she hated. Hermione had never been one to be afraid of the dark, even when she was younger. She had prided herself in the fact that she had never needed a nightlight when she was a little girl unlike every one of her Muggle school friends.

She had always thought that the night was simply a time at which another world came to life. One which was mystical and special.

Now she knew what the dark held. She had seen the horrors that took place under the shrouded blackness and though she knew she was safe, that Voldemort was gone along with his Death Eaters and evil feral creatures - she couldn't forget.

The irrational tingles increased and Hermione shifted her bag nervously as her hand hovered next to the pocket containing her wand.

"Don't be stupid Hermione. There is nothing there for Merlin's sake. You're in Gryffindor. Don't be stupid." She muttered under her breath.

Glancing at her watch again, she shifted her hand when she couldn't see the time in the little light available. As she turned the corner, a glint of moonlight reflected off the surface and hit a body two feet away from her.

Hermione gasped but didn't even take one second to react. Her bag dropped to the floor in the same instant that her wand was pulled out of her pocket and moved in front of her. Her heart was now beating in her throat and she swallowed convulsively.

The Conjunctivitus Curse on her lips was about to be spoken when she heard the form in front of her speak.

"You shouldn't be out in the dark Granger. Who knows what dangerous things are creeping around."

Hermione stepped back as her mind instantly recognized the drawl and with a Lumos charm, she lifted her head to face Malfoy's steel eyes. "Malfoy. What are you doing out in the hallway? Curfew starts in a few minutes. Get back to your common room."

Malfoy's lips twisted into a hidden smile and Hermione tightened her grip around her wand. As if he had somehow noticed this, his twisted smile widened and his eyes glinted amusedly. Hermione raised her jaw in a show of defiance.

"Shouldn't you be safely tucked away by now? I'm surprised Potter and Weasley," he spat the names out, "allowed you out of their sight. I'm sure they'll have already organized a search party and will be knocking on the Slytherin common room door any minute now."

He said the words with such hate that it took Hermione a few seconds to reply. "I'm not under their watch." She lied stubbornly. Harry and Ron's overly protective behaviour had initially pleased her. Now it was a constant reminder that she had needed them to feel safe during the war and she didn't like it. She had been independent before Voldemort and she damn well would be after him.

His harsh laugh made it known that he knew she was lying and she angrily looked away. That was her mistake. With a swift move, he knocked her wrist out of the way and moved the two steps towards her. His towering form over her combined with the loud clattering of her wand dropping to the floor, made her breath catch in her throat.

"Aren't you?" he said.

She could feel his warm breath hitting her face and her mind went momentarily blank.

"Potter never lets you talk to anyone he deems unfit whilst Weasley just pathetically salivates around you whilst keeping you in his sight."

His words against her friends jarred her from the fogginess. "That isn't true." She said as she brought her hand up in front of her in preparation to push him off if it came to that.

"Yes it is Granger. We both know it's true."

"It doesn't matter whether it's true or not Malfoy. We need to get to our respective common rooms. Curfew has already started." She said trying to reason with him.

"You're Head Girl. You're allowed to be out after curfew." Malfoy stated.

"You're noth-." Hermione stopped when she realised what she was about to say. "You're not a Prefect Malfoy. You have to be back in your common room before curfew or you'll get detention." Hermione caught sight of his evil smile and wished that she had left the library at a dinner time.

"And who'll give me that detention then. You Granger? I doubt it."

Indignant at his words, Hermione lifted her chin higher. "Yes _me_ Malfoy. I'm not afraid of you."

He moved closer and Hermione's hand hit his chest. "Really Granger? You sure look scared. Like a little rabbit caught in its prey's path…looking for a way out…knowing it's going to die. It's not the first time you've looked at me like this. I remember the last time." He moved closer. "In the forest." His whispered voice was like a trance; transporting her to the memory of that day over a year ago.

_Hermione ran through the thick trees, ignoring the branches that scratched her body._

_Her lungs felt like they were on the verge of collapse but she forced herself on. _

_Her screaming muscles ached and she stumbled over a branch. Righting herself before she fell she pushed on, sobs ready to be spilled from her throat. Keeping them contained was painful and Hermione stopped running in an effort to carry out the action. _

_It was no use. _

_As her brain stopped buzzing, the terror she had been over-riding with adrenaline bubbled to the surface and the tears fell. In that moment, she lost all sense of sanity and blindly yelled out for Dennis without caring on how she was revealing her position. _

_She had been fighting a masked Death Eater when she had seen the youngest Creevy brother running into the Forbidden Forest, a male Death Eater trailing manically after him. _

_In her panic to help the young Gryffindor, Hermione had forgotten about her own Death Eater and made to run after them. Before making it two steps she had been blown six feet into a tree. Luckily Merlin had been looking down on her and her wand was still in her hand. With a quick Reducto charm aimed at the Death Eater, Hermione had pushed herself up against the tree trunk and ran into the deep forest. _

_Not two hours ago she had seen Colin fall in the Great Hall when he was hit by that fatal green light and somehow, after witnessing his death, Hermione knew she had to save Dennis. She had to save this one. She had failed Colin but she wouldn't fail Dennis. _

_Only she couldn't see anything but dark tress surrounding her. Suffocating her with their denseness. _

_She had to save him. And so she had screamed out his name. _

_It was a hoarse sound. Similar to a mother's cry when she loses her baby. Hermione had to save him. She had to find him._

_He found her. Dennis had miraculously popped through the trees to her right. Along with him was the Death Eater. _

_Her Stupefy charm was dodged by the Death Eater and her following Protego charm was only enough to shield her own form and not Dennis's who was still twenty feet away from her. The shield faded into air at the exact moment that Hermione saw a Crucio curse coming her way. _

_For the second time in her life, she fell to the floor as her muscles were stabbed with thousands of white hot knives and screams were ripped from her throat. She heard Dennis screaming but the sound was quickly swallowed up by her own wails. _

_Hermione had no clue how long she was under the curse. After an eternity she felt the knives stab her for the last time and she trembled, crumpled on the ground unable to do nothing but watch the boots of the Death Eater come her way. _

_When her hair was pulled back, pain exploded throughout her body at the unwanted movement. But it wasn't the pain that Hermione would later remember. It would be the wild face of Augustus Rookwood, his yellow teeth and stale breath as he moved his face within centimeters of hers. _

"_Well, well, well. Look what I caught. Oh, the Dark Lord will be very pleased indeed. Very pleased. He'll reward me nicely for you Mudblood."_ _His wand had now come to jab at her throat and Hermione waited for him to finish it. To end her life. Her eyes closed in preparation and the last thought that went through her mind was how she had failed to save Dennis. _

_She had failed. _

_Her chest was cut off from air as Rookwood's body slumped down on hers. At the knock, Hermione's eyes flew open and she saw Dennis standing over her, wand held out. _

_Muscles still aching, she struggled to push Rookwood's apparent unconscious body off hers and that was when she saw a large rock with splatters of blood to the side of her. _

_Grabbing onto Dennis as she stood, relief spread through her and she gave out a happy laugh as she hugged him to her bruised body. It was only when she felt his little body stiffen against her that she realised something was wrong. She had no time to do anything to stop the Immobulus Charm that hit her back. _

_It was the first time she was under the effects of the charm and if Hermione had to pick which of the two was worse between this charm and the Crucio curse, she would pick this one. The feeling of being paralyzed, trapped uselessly in her body, was the worst feeling she had ever encountered. She had been left to count the seconds and hear the crunch of footsteps coming closer to her before she saw a white head. _

_The moonlight was literally bouncing off his hair and casting him in a halo. It was the first time Hermione had thought of Draco Malfoy as being one of the mysterious, mystical night creatures she had thought she would never see. _

_He looked beautiful. _

_Then she saw his wand and the beautiful creature became deadly. His infamous smirk graced his features as he looked down at her immobile form. _

"_Hello Mudblood." _

_Hermione had forced her mouth to speak but her muscles did not even twitch. All she could do was move her eyes uselessly from one side to the other. _

_She was powerless. And it was then that fear filled her. _

_Tears leaked out of her eyes as she stared into the cold ice eyes of her childhood enemy. Through the blurriness, she didn't see his smirk falter. All she heard was his soft curse and her mind swirled into the dark abyss. _

_Both she and Dennis had woken up two days later in St Mungo's. No-one had known what had happened to the two of them in the time that they were cursed to the time that they were found._

"What did you do?" Hermione asked softly.

Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "I haven't done anything…yet."

"I don't mean now. Then. What did you do?"

Hermione saw recognition flicker through his eyes but he didn't speak. Didn't answer.

"Tell me. I have to know. What did you do? Why didn't you kill us? Two powerless, vulnerable Mudbloods? It's your dream come true."

Malfoy moved so quickly that the breath was knocked out of her body as he pressed her against the cold stone wall. His angry pants formed white whispers around her. "Don't think you know a single thing about my dreams Granger because you don't." He whispered harshly against her ear.

Hermione squeezed her hands between their bodies and pushed him away from her. "Don't touch me Malfoy."

Draco conceded and stepped back until he was lounging against the opposite wall, lazily staring at Hermione's shaking body. "You were unconscious for two days Granger. You were unconscious in the forest for four hours before Shacklebolt found you lying there. Four long hours…In that time, I'm the only one who knows what I did or didn't do to you…What I did or didn't touch."

Hermione froze at his words and for a second, it seemed like time had stopped around the two of them. Another owl tooting in the distance broke it.

Hermione stepped forward and her hand lifted to smack him across the face. He caught her thin wrist easily and held it in his grasp as she struggled to free herself.

Eventually she gave up and his grip loosened enough for her to wrench her hand from his. "You're lying you bastard! You wouldn't dirty yourself by touching a Mudblood." She choked out.

A sly smile crept across his lips. "Maybe…But you'll never know either way."

"You bastard." She repeated.

"Curses and hexes will break your bones but words will never harm you." He countered.

Hermione stared at him for two seconds before gritting her teeth and quickly picking up her bag and wand from the floor. "Stay away from me Malfoy or I swear on Dumbledore's grave I will kill you."

With that Hermione walked away from him and once she rounded another corner and was out of his sight, she ran.

Draco listened to her footsteps as she dashed away from him and he smiled in satisfaction. Pushing himself off the wall, his eyes caught a flash of silver on the floor and he reached for it. A small green badge lay across his palm, the yellow letters spelling out vomit. He pocketed the metal before disappearing off in the opposite direction to Hermione, whistling softly at what her reaction would be when he turned up at her next S.P.E.W. meeting.

* * *

_Author's Note: So what did you think? Not all the oneshot's will be as dark and angsty so if this wasn't your cup of tea hopefully the next one will be! Thank you for reading and until next time, Curiositykils _


	2. Vapour Rub

**Vapour Rub**

**1589 words**

**Rating: T  
**

* * *

"Hermioneeee." came a whiny noise from upstairs.

Hermione sighed at the sound before ignoring the cry and sticking her head back into her Floo call.

When her name was called out again not thirty seconds later, she finally conceded. Saying a quick see you later to the recipient of her floo call, she got up off her knees and brushed out the wrinkles from her dress before moving back into the kitchen.

Grabbing the necessary materials to carry out her plan, she jogged up the stairs and into the bedroom which she shared with her boyfriend of seven months.

Said boyfriend was currently lying under the duvet, arms clutched dramatically against his stomach as he huffed about in pain.

Forcing the smirk off her face, Hermione stepped towards him. Placing the medicine bottle on the side table, she reached out to where he lay with eyes tightly shut.

"Oh poor Draco. You're burning up." She said as she placed a hand on his sweaty forehead.

She got a whine as an answer.

Hearing the sound, Hermione smiled and decided to crank up her plan. Pulling back the covers that were enveloping him, she started removing his loose black T-shirt. "Come on honey. Let's get you out of these clothes. It might cool you down."

Moving quicker and with more precision that the deathly ill man he was claiming to be, Draco pulled the T-shirt over his head and wriggled out of his jeans.

Seeing Hermione's eyebrow raised in suspicion, he gave a feeble cough and waited with baited breath for her reaction.

Hermione knew she could have caught him out but he definitely hadn't been tortured enough and so instead of prematurely exposing him for the lying Slytherin that he was, she decided to let him carry on with his little game.

Fluffing up his pillow, she moved him into an upright position.

Pouting down at him with a fake sad face, she kissed his forehead.

"My poor baby. I have just the thing to make you feel better." She said, her voice laced with innuendo.

Draco's eyes popped open and he eagerly waited for what she had planned for him. He was disappointed when instead of getting in bed with him, she moved away and started fiddling with something on her bedside table.

"Now close your eyes." Hermione said. Turning her head and looking at Draco in bed, she gave him a little saucy wink so he would comply.

His eyes shut immediately causing Hermione to smile widely before she uncapped the medicine bottle and poured a large dollop of the thick Muggle medicine onto the spoon.

"Open your mouth for me." She said huskily as she moved closer to him on the bed.

Draco's mouth dropped open in shock at her words rather than at him obeying her command. In the last seven months he'd seen just how kinky the once virginal Gryffindor princess was in bed. From the sound of her words it seemed like she had something new to try out and he was always happy to indulge her.

He mentally congratulated himself. He was so shaggable it seemed that Hermione couldn't keep her hands off him, despite him being sick.

Hermione could just imagine at what her smarmy bastard was currently thinking. Without giving him any warning she jammed the spoon into his mouth.

Draco's eyes popped open as his jaw automatically closed around the spoon she had just let go of. A millisecond later, the taste of something acrid hit his tongue and he spat the substance out, spluttering all the while. The mess landed on the bedcovers in front of him and he jumped off the bed in a bid to get away from the disgusting slime.

"What the hell woman! Are you trying to poison me? I'm already ill. Merlin's saggy balls." He yelled as he wiped his tongue with his discarded T-shirt.

Hermione watched her boyfriend with a smug expression on her face. Even though they both knew his game was up, she still wasn't quite ready to let him off so easily.

"Oh Draco, honestly. It's just some Muggle medicine whilst the Pepper Up potion brews." She moved towards him and after a quick swish and flick of his wand to clean the mess he'd made, she pushed him back down onto the bed.

Draco froze momentarily at her actions before realizing he may still be in with a chance to get out of tonight. Merlin, Gryffindor's really were a blind, gullible bunch weren't they? First Potter and Weasley didn't even notice he'd been creeping into their house for three months and spending the night fucking their roommate senseless and now Granger still believed he was on his death bed?

Oh well, he wasn't complaining. In fact, he was thoroughly enjoying having her undivided attention.

"I've got some vapour rub downstairs. Why don't you get comfortable and I can give you a nice long massage. I'm sure it'll help with any joint pain. I always get the most terrible back aches when I have a cold."

Draco felt like Christmas had come early. Eagerly nodding his head in agreement before catching himself and giving a whine of pain, he flipped onto his stomach and waited for his witch to begin his massage.

Merlin be praised for those wonderful little hands.

Hermione muffled her snigger before hurrying down the stairs. Walking into the kitchen she saw her "Wizard mother" charming the kettle to boil some water for tea.

"He's upstairs." Hermione whispered. "I told him I'd give him a back massage with some vapour rub."

The woman smiled before taking off her red woolly cardigan. Grabbing the small bottle of rub from Hermione, she made her way upstairs.

Hermione watched her go, debating on whether or not she should follow. She desperately wanted to see Draco's face when he realised what was going on but she knew that she would probably end up bursting into hysterical laughter before Draco realised anything strange was occurring.

Balancing out the pros and cons in her head, she quickly moved up the stairs stealthily.

Draco had his head buried in his pillow when he felt the bed dip slightly from behind him. Lips stretching into a wide smile, he relaxed his muscles in preparation for his massage. He heard her unscrew the lid of her eucalyptus smelling pot and felt a dollop of the viscous material land on his back.

He knew something was wrong as soon as her hands started his massage. He yelped at the feeling of the large wrinkled hands and when he turned his head, his gaze fell on the red haired matriarch of the Weasley family.

Screaming and recoiling in shock, he quickly sat up and pushed himself backwards. The covers dropped to dangerous levels around his hips and Draco snatched them up until they covered him up to his throat.

"What in Merlin's name is going on?" he demanded as his eyes searched the room for Hermione.

"Oh Draco dear, Hermione called me over. She said you weren't feeling too well. Don't worry dear; I've looked after my fair share of ill men. You're in good hands." Mrs Weasley replied.

Draco spluttered before grabbing his jeans off the floor and sliding into them whilst making sure he stayed under the covers.

"Now Draco, there's no need to be shy." Mrs Weasley smiled. "With one bathroom at the Burrow and up to eight men living there at one time, there have been plenty of accidents in the morning."

Draco shook his head vainly in an attempt to get rid of the picture she was painting and loudly yelled out for Hermione. Ugh, naked Weasley's! He was mentally scarred for life!

Hermione, who had been waiting outside the room holding her breath, forced her face into a calm mask before stepping into the bedroom. "Yes Draco?" she said calmly.

"What is going on?" he whispered furiously.

Hermione ignored him and turned to face Mrs Weasley. "Why don't you go and check on our tea Molly. I'll be down in a minute."

Hermione shared a satisfactory smile with the older woman as she walked out of the room before turning her head back to her deceiving boyfriend. "You really should have let Molly rub that vapour rub on your back Draco. It really would have helped with the pain." She said as she openly eyed his form. "Although it doesn't seem like you need it anymore." She finished as she looked at him pointedly.

Draco knew he had been rumbled and put an ashamed I'm sorry look on his face. Unfortunately, he'd chosen to fall in love with the one witch in the Wizarding world that was apparently immune to his charms.

Hermione simply raised a single eyebrow and looked at him condescendingly. "I suggest you hop in the shower and get dressed. You've only got 30 minutes before we have to apparate to my parent's house for dinner and it might be best if we're not late since it's the first time you're meeting them. If you'll excuse me, I think I might go and inform Molly on your miraculous recovery and thank her for her healing hands."

Draco watched Hermione saunter out of the room. Merlin, she was bloody hot when she got all sarcastically intelligent on him. As he grabbed a fresh towel, Draco realised he wouldn't want her any other way.

Even if it meant he could get out of meeting the future in laws for dinner.

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_Author's Note: Thank you for reading and until next time, Curiositykils _


	3. Santa Claus

**Santa Claus  
**

**1755 words**

**Rating: K  
**

* * *

Twas the night before Christmas and unlike the Muggle poem, all was not quiet in the Malfoy household.

Hermione shifted in the bed she shared with her husband and her arm reached out for his warmth.

When her palm landed on cool sheets, her eyes cracked open minutely.

When she saw that her husband was in fact not in bed, her eyes opened fully and she swiped at them to remove the grittiness.

Pulling herself up on one hand, she paused and waited. After ten seconds of silence, she realised that Draco was not in the bathroom, or anywhere in the vicinity.

With a puzzled brow, she pulled the Slytherin green covers off her body (after so many years she had learnt to pick her battles) and she slipped her feet onto the cold wooden floor.

For a brief moment she debated on whether she wanted to leave the semi warmth and comfort of her bed but her sharp curiosity won out in the end.

Wiggling her toes into her slippers, she shivered before setting off on her search.

With a quick stop and peek into Holly's bedroom, she smiled at her sound asleep daughter.

They had spent the day at Hermione's parents house and Holly, after learning all about Santa Claus from her maternal grandparents, had vowed to stay awake all night in anticipation of having a conversation with the mythical man.

Or in Holly's own words, asking him "How he managed to get around Wizarding law and place a flying charm on his eight reindeers?"

Hermione smiled at the inquisitive nature she had; something she had definitely inherited from her mother.

It was only right. After all, in physical appearance she took after Draco 100% with her silky white hair and steel eyes. Hermione was quite proud that she had her personality.

Snapping out of her daze, Hermione straightened from the door jamb and closed the door silently.

Turning around she did a quick sweep of the upper floor and saw no light coming from behind any of the closed doors.

Making her way to the staircase, she lightly skipped down the spiral.

As she moved closer towards the bottom, she saw and heard the firelight coming from the front room.

She walked in to find her husband sitting directly in front of the fireplace, arms crossed, wand in hand as he stared determinedly into the flames.

"Draco?" Hermione murmured quietly so she wouldn't startle him.

Draco turned his head and grinned when he caught sight of her.

At his welcoming smile, she moved until she was standing behind him and leant down to give him a bear hug. His arms came up to rub at the arms she flung around his shoulders.

Nuzzling her head into his neck she breathed in his clean soapy scent and sighed tiredly. "What are you doing?" she asked him curiously.

"I'm waiting for him." He answered.

Hermione's face turned into a puzzled frown. "Waiting for whom?"

"Santa Claus."

Hermione stood up so quickly in surprise that her arms slipped out of his hold. "Santa Claus?" she repeated incase she hadn't heard him correctly.

"Yep. If some stranger thinks he's getting into my Manor and creeping around at night then he's in for a big surprise."

Hermione struggled to control the laughter that bubbled up her throat. "What?"

Draco ignored her question and carried on talking. "Not just that but _eating_ my cookies." He harrumphed like a little boy.

Hermione took in the plate of cookies and glass of milk that Holly had left on the mantelpiece and that was now by Draco's feet, half eaten and drunk.

Smiling again she walked around until she was standing in front of him and slipped sideways into his lap.

His arms enclosed around her and she slid into the curve of his body. She settled herself firmly into his warmth before asking her next question.

"So what exactly are you planning to do when you come face to face with him then?" she asked jokingly.

Draco replied back in a serious tone. "I've re-enforced the wards against strangers and considered cutting off the Floo for the night but decided against it."

"Oh?" she said lightly.

"Hmm. I can't believe no-one has stopped him before now. He should be in Azkaban for all the breaking and entering he's done. Not to mention the Illegal use of the Floo network."

Hermione couldn't stop the smile that crossed her lips and in an effort to hide it, she once again nuzzled her head into Draco's throat.

When she had composed herself she moved her head to rest against his shoulder. "So you're going to wait up all night?" she asked.

Draco murmured in the positive.

Hermione couldn't believe the circumstances she was in. Her very grown up husband was sitting in front of the chimney waiting for Santa Claus to step through the Floo so he could cart him off to Azkaban!

Only this man, she thought fondly.

For some reason, she couldn't find the words to tell him the truth about the supposed intruder so instead she kept quiet.

"Have you ever seen him?" Draco suddenly asked her.

Hermione thought back to her childhood and the various Christmases at which her father had dressed up for her innocent pleasure. "Yes." She answered truthfully.

"What did he look like?"

"Vaguely liked my Dad." She smiled. "Only with a little more fat and a long beard."

"Like Dumbledore?" he said in an exposing tone.

This time Hermione couldn't stop her laugh escaping.

Draco shrugged her in his arms. "What are you laughing at?" he asked. "It sounds like a Dumbledore thing to do. An engorgement charm with a few sly Galleons in the hands of some old codger friend of his in the Floo Network Department and he's free to do what he wants. The man gets away with everything."

Hermione simply shook her head and settled back into his arms.

Five silent minutes later, Hermione's mind had started going into a haze that she associated with the beginning of sleep.

Stretching her limbs in a bid to keep herself awake and not stopping until her back clicked satisfactorily, she stood up and held her arms out for Draco.

"Come to bed." She told him.

Draco looked up at her with surprised eyes. "Hermione I have to stay awake, otherwise Dumbledore will sneak in."

Hermione shook her head before coming up with a solution. Reaching for the wand that was in his hands she charmed the chair Draco was sitting on into a replica of their bed.

Once Draco got his balance, he shifted backwards and Hermione slipped under the covers in front of him.

Pulling her closer with his arm, he tucked her body into his before resting his head on her shoulder so he could still have a clear view of the fireplace.

Together they waited silently for Santa Claus/Dumbledore to make an appearance.

ooo

Hermione woke up the next morning to the sound of Draco lightly snoring beside her.

When she saw her surroundings, it took her a moment to remember why they were in the front room.

Turning her head she gazed down at Draco and chuckled.

She would never get over the picture of a less than perfectly groomed Draco Malfoy in the morning. His hair skewed in every which direction was always an image to welcome Hermione into a Good Morning.

Hermione still remembered the time when they'd first moved in together and Draco would sneak out of bed in the morning before she woke up to take a shower and brush his teeth before slipping back into bed.

Merlin forbid anyone should see a messy Draco Malfoy.

A faint rustling sound caught her attention and Hermione shifted her position so she could peer into the next room from which the sound was coming from.

Underneath the twenty foot lavishly decorated tree, sat Holly as she tore into present after present, eyes momentarily lighting up with delight before she moved onto the next.

Merlin Hermione remembered what it was like waking up early on Christmas morning.

Seeing the time to be seven thirty and not too early, Hermione moved to wake Draco up.

She gently ran her fingers through his hair until he roused.

She saw the confusion in his eyes at their location before realization came over him and he immediately sat up in bed.

"Good Morning." Hermione said.

Rubbing his eyes Draco looked around wildly before groaning loudly and flopping back against the pillows. "I fell asleep?"

"Yep." Hermione quipped.

"Buggering Hell. Now I have to wait until next year to catch him." He whined.

Hermione smiled before lying back down next to him. "Sorry."

Draco merely burrowed his head in her neck.

Hermione stroked his back. "On the plus side. It's Christmas morning." She said, hoping to coax him back into a good mood.

It worked.

Draco lifted his head and looked at her, a smile stretching across his face. "And where's my present?" he demanded gently, a look she was very familiar with coming into his eyes.

Before she knew what was happening, Draco had moved over her. He looked down at her with gleaming eyes.

Hermione laughed. "Holly's in the next room opening her presents already."

Draco seemed to deliberate for a moment before coming to a result. "She won't disturb us?" He said unsurely.

Hermione raised a single eyebrow at his words and didn't need to say a word. Her daughter did that for her.

Holly came running into the front room and up to the bed. "Mommy, Daddy. Look at my new Pygmy Puff. It's pink with blue spots." She thrust the creature into Hermione's face.

Before Hermione could fake ooh and aah over the present she had bought not two days ago, Holly turned to her father. "Daddy, get off Mommy. She can't see." She said in a no nonsense tone.

Draco whined but acquiesced to Holly's command.

"What shall I name him Mummy?" she asked Hermione.

"How about Albie after Great Uncle Dumbledore?" she suggested slyly.

From beside her she felt Draco stiffen.

Holly nodded eagerly before going off into the next room to get her next present to show her parents.

"You did that on purpose." Draco accused.

"I did." Hermione replied honestly.

"I'll get my revenge later." He vowed.

Hermione smiled. "Promise?"

Draco smiled widely before bending his head and sealing her lips with his own.

"Merry Christmas Hermione."

"Merry Christmas Draco."

"Daddy! Get off Mommy!"

* * *

_Author's Note: So it's another fluffy oneshot but fear not, I am in the process of writing the sequel to the first angst filled onsehot. __Thank You for reading and until next time, Curiositykils_


	4. Known

**Known**

**Sequel to Unknown**

**2843 words**

**Rating: M  
**

* * *

Hermione sat at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall and forced her tensed muscles to relax and cooperate.

Mechanically reaching for the slice of bread on her plate she bit into it, chewing stiffly and swallowing hard. The soft bread grated her throat as it passed through into her hollow stomach.

Her eyes seemed to be being pulled from her current gaze on her plate and she resisted.

Damnit, why had she decided to sit on this side of the Gryffindor table? She could deal with the knowledge that his eyes were piercing the back of her head, or even her side from where he had creeped into the last S.P.E.W. meeting, but head on?

She shifted and squirmed in her seat.

Why did he keep staring at her?

Her eyes flickered to where she could feel his stare coming from but before she could locate his exact position, she caught herself and quickly shut her eyes.

Merlin, she had to get out of here. Lowering her head so she had no choice but to look down at her lap when she re-opened her eyes, she did so. Grabbing her bag from next to her feet she scrambled up off the bench. "I'll see you back in the common room." She said quickly to Harry and Ron. Before the two had even opened their mouths to offer to accompany her, she turned around and started rushing out of the Great Hall.

She was nearly free when her eyes betrayed her.

Just as she was about to pass through the doors, her head turned by a fraction to the left.

Towards the Slytherin table.

Towards where he sat.

Towards his thin lips that were coiled into his trademark smirk.

She caught a glimmer of victory in that smirk. Her breath caught in her throat and she quickly turned back around.

Damnit! Why had she looked?

As she hurried away from the Hall, her admonishment of herself did not let up one iota.

When she had seen him enter the room last week at the S.P.E.W. meeting, she had faltered momentarily whilst giving her speech, but he hadn't said anything and she had quickly composed herself. He had spent the evening sitting quietly in a chair in the dark corner of the room. Not speaking, not participating, merely staring. Always staring.

At the end of the meeting he had straightened in one swift move like a cat and stalked out without saying a word. Even more strangely, he hadn't looked at her once during that process.

The result was a confused and strained Hermione.

What was his problem? Why was he playing with her like this? She didn't like this game and she had no intention of spending another week without answers.

Letting out an angry puff of air she moved with purpose to the room she used for S.P.E.W. meetings. Would he even attend tonight? Maybe he had seen how she was planning on ignoring him as she had done since that night nine days ago and had given up playing with her. Remembering his smirk this evening…maybe not.

Damnit, why had she looked?

Pushing herself into the unused Charms room, she dropped her bag in a chair before waving her wand. In twenty seconds the room was set in the way she arranged it for the meeting. Chairs were placed in a semi circular shape around a central podium and there was a table of light refreshments and snacks. She stared at the jug of pumpkin juice contemplatingly as she moved towards it. Her hand moved to inside her pocket and clasped a small vial of clear, colorless, odorless liquid. Taking it out, she stared at it for a few seconds before uncorking the top and tilting it in the air above the jug.

Was she really going to do this? It was completely stupid. She was acting ridiculous. She shook her head to clear the thoughts galloping through it. This was crazy wasn't it? She had made up her plan in a moment of anger, annoyance and fear. What were the chances that he would show up tonight anyway? He'd probably done so last week in an effort to show Hermione that despite her words telling him to stay away, he was Draco Malfoy and he could do what he wanted.

He had made his point. He didn't need to make it again.

A feeling of relief spread through Hermione's body and she shook her head to clear out the remnants of her crazy plan. Allowing herself to emit a nervous chuckle at how barmy she was acting, she made to retract her hand when the door behind her opened. She felt the familiar unnerving stare and her hand tipped the liquid into the jug.

For a moment, Hermione stood staring at the orange liquid in disbelief.

Oh Merlin, she was really going to do this.

Quickly hiding the vial against her body out of fear she pushed it inside her sleeve. Gathering her courage she took in a deep but silent breath and turned to face him.

He was leaning against the door jamb, arms crossed with his penetrating stare fixed on her eyes.

"Malfoy." She acknowledged before moving closer to her bag…and her wand.

"Granger." He mocked in a polite voice.

She gritted her teeth but said nothing. "What are you doing here?" she asked nonchalantly. Well as nonchalantly as she could get her voice to sound.

"I'm here for the meeting obviously." His voice was still in that mocking tone.

"You're early." Hermione stated.

"And there I thought you would appreciate some help setting up the room."

Hermione bristled. "Well I don't need your help as you can see." Nor will I ever, she muttered under her breath.

There was uncomfortable silence.

"You can wait outside until the meeting starts." Hermione said pointedly.

Instead of moving out of the room, he stepped in. Hermione automatically took a step back. He noticed and that smirk graced his face again.

Damnit.

"I'm sure I won't be in your way." He said as he took a few further steps in her direction.

Hermione held her head up high and stood her ground. She was quite proud of her control for not flinching as he moved so close to her that his clothes brushed against her arm. Her nose did tingle when she inhaled his scent though. Thankfully he didn't pause and headed straight towards the refreshment table. Hermione's heart hitched into her throat.

Oh Merlin. This was it.

She watched him lazily sweep the contents of the table and willed him to reach for the juice with half of her mind. The other half was struck numb in a strange mix of fear and curiosity. After what seemed like an eternity he finally reached out…and picked up a cookie.

Disappointment was an understatement for what she felt at that second.

Her gaze moved from the biscuit in his hand to his eyes. Two gazes seemed to lock as he lifted the cookie to his lips and bit into it.

Oh Merlin, had he bit her like that? It was one of the strange scenarios her mind had played out for that blank night.

His pointed jaw moved down to chew and instantly his face distorted.

"Fuck, Granger. What kind of Hippogriff shit is this?" he spat out. Dropping the cookie on the table he grabbed a tissue and removed the half chewed cookie from his mouth.

It took a moment for Hermione's mind to catch up to what he had said and indignation sparked in her chest. "I made those cookies." she said steely.

Draco snorted before wiping his mouth once again on a clean napkin and turning back around. His arm reached out and he poured himself a glass of pumpkin juice.

Hermione froze as she watched him gulp it down in one. Oh Merlin.

He placed the empty glass down hard on the table before turning back around. "They taste like crap. Are you trying to poison us all?" he asked angrily.

"I happen to think they taste quite nice."

Another snort. "Your taste is evidently fucked up. Not like that's anything new."

"Excuse me! What are you talking about?" she demanded angrily.

"Look at who you keep in your company."

The unexpected answer and the following look of confusion on Draco's face was enough to strengthen Hermione's resolve. With a quick movement she flew across to her bag and snatched up her wand.

When she turned back around to face Draco she didn't even get a chance to focus herself before she felt him tackle her body and smack it into the wall. One arm came to clamp down against her wand holding wrist whilst the other entwined around her throat. Hermione took in a gasp of breath as the hand against her throat applied pressure. "Veritaserum. How very Slytherin." He said in a silky voice against her ear.

He sounded proud.

His thumb rubbed against the thumping pulse in the side of her neck. "But not very nice. Or legal." He finished.

Oh Merlin, the illegality of her actions sparked a renewed fear. Why in Merlin's beard had she ever thought this would be a good idea? What would happen to her now? Her mind frantically tried to come up with a figure on how long her Azkaban sentence would be.

Draco's hand squeezed her throat once more and the push of feeling from uncomfortable to pain brought her back to reality.

What's done was done. If she was going to Azkaban she damn well was going to have answers on what happened that night. "What…" she tried to gasp out.

Hermione saw Draco's eyes widen when he realized she was going to ask him a question and he flew away from her.

Through her gasps of breath she quickly waved her wand at the door, placing a powerful locking charm in place. He wouldn't be able to get out. Anticipating his next move, the Expelliarmus charm was already ready to be spoken by the time he had his wand pointing towards her.

As his wand flew into her hand and he followed behind it, Hermione yelled a quick motion curse at his body and watched frozen as he started moving towards her at a much reduced speed.

She quickly moved towards the opposite side of the room and waited for him to finally turn towards her.

"What did you mean when you said I had bad taste earlier?" she quickly asked.

The furious look on his face scared her.

She could see him try to control his mouth but the potion was too strong. "Potter and Weasley." He spat out. "You could pick anyone in this school to spend time with and you pick them. The two most unworthy of your company."

Hermione was struck by his words. "What?" she whispered.

Since she wasn't asking an actual question there was no reply. She took the time to move away to another position in the room. "What are you talking about Malfoy?"

"I'm fucking talking about how they don't deserve to spend time with you! They treat you like shit half the time and smother you the other half."

Hermione could feel the anger radiating from the forced words but it was his actual words that Hermione couldn't get her head around.

He sounded…jealous.

Hermione shook her head as she watched him finally turn around to face her in her new position.

She couldn't deal with this. She didn't want to deal with this.

Shaking her head again, she tried to scatter her thoughts so she could calm down. "What happened that night? In the Forbidden Forest. D-Did you touch me?" she asked hesitantly as she swallowed the lump in her throat.

"Yes."

Hermione felt bile rise in her throat. Her chest started to restrict and she began breathing in gasps of desperate air. "What did you do to me you rapist bastard! Tell me everything!" she demanded.

"I didn't rape you!"

Hermione heard the words and despite the fact that she knew he was under the effects of the potion she didn't believe him. "Tell me what you did!" she asked again, her voice having risen to dangerously loud levels. "Tell me where you touched me. Now!"

"I touched you everywhere. You fell in an awkward position."

"What? Explain." She said as she once again moved to another part of the room away from him.

"The curse I put on you and Creevey knocked you both out. You fell to the floor and I knew it would take the people you consider friends a long time to find you. I had to move you so you were lying flat on your back."

"What?" Hermione was still struggling to understand what was happening. "Why would you do that?"

"So you wouldn't get a fucking stiff neck when you woke up!"

"Why did you knock us out? You could have killed us."

"I don't want to kill you Granger. Believe it or not but I don't actually give a fuck about your so called dirty blood."

Hermione gasped at the unexpected revelation and the fog in her mind started to clear. "So you didn't touch me…sexually in any way then?" she asked in a relieved tone.

"I did."

Hermione's heart skipped a beat. "You said you didn't rape me!" she yelled out hysterically.

"I didn't rape you…I kissed you."

Oh Merlin, Hermione had thought of this scenario and the thought still brought a sick feeling to her stomach.

"Where?"

"On your forehead." Hermione waited for the rest.

"And your lips."

The sick feeling increased.

"And?" she asked when he didn't speak again.

"That's it! No where else! I straightened your body out and kissed your forehead and your mouth okay!"

Hermione swallowed the painful lump in her throat forcefully.

Draco had finally given up moving and was simply standing in the middle of the room. Staring.

"Why?"

"Why what Granger? You'll have to be a bit more specific."

"Why did you kiss me?" she whispered, hoping that if she said the words quietly enough that this whole thing would be over.

He stared at her for a full ten seconds before answering making her fully aware that the potion's effects had worn off.

Her heart dropped to her stomach.

"Because I wanted to," he said in a voice as quiet as hers had been, "because it would be my only chance."

"But w-why would y-you want to?"

"Because I want you."

Hermione opened her mouth to respond but nothing came out. She didn't know what to say. Her mind was reeling from his words.

There was a loud bang as the classroom door was thrown open.

"What is going on in here?" asked Professor McGonagall in a stern voice.

Hermione turned to face her and her chest constricted. Oh Merlin…Oh God! She was going to go to Azkaban.

Hermione saw her teacher take in the unshed tears in Hermione's eyes before her gaze zeroed in on the two wands in her hands. "Miss Granger?" she asked. "Students who were coming for your meeting told me that the door to the classroom was locked and that there was yelling coming from inside. Would you care to tell me what happened?"

The words caught in Hermione's throat and she wildly looked at Draco.

"I'm sorry Professor. We were having a little disagreement." Draco said.

Hermione looked at him in confusion. Why wasn't he telling Professor McGonagall what she'd just done?

"I expect better behavior from two seventh years. Especially the Head Girl Miss Granger. I suggest you give Mr Malfoy his wand back and get back to your respective dormitories. I think it best if this meeting was cancelled don't you?" she asked rhetorically before she turned to disperse the crowd of students in the doorway.

Hermione looked down at the two wands in her hand before handing Draco's wand back to him. When he made no move to reach out for it, Hermione quickly realized why and with a quick flick of her own wand, she lifted the charm of him.

He slowly lifted his hand and making sure his fingers didn't touch hers, he took the wand from her grasp.

The two stared at each other for a moment before Draco turned away.

Now that his eyes weren't piercing into hers, Hermione found herself able to speak. "Stay away from me." She repeated quietly so the others wouldn't hear.

Draco turned his stormy gaze back to her and he said nothing. Fearing he was about to ignore her she made to repeat her words when he gave a stiff acquiescing nod.

Hermione took one last look at him before grabbing her bag and following Professor McGonagall out of the classroom.

That all familiar stare was focused on the back of her head.

She could feel it.

And she felt it for the entire year until the Hogwarts door closed for the last time and she was finally free.

* * *

_Author's Note: So the long awaited sequel to the first chapter! I hope you got the answers you were looking for! Please review! Thank you for reading and until next time, Curiositykils_


	5. Frilly dress wearing things

**Frilly Dress Wearing Things  
**

** 1267 words**

**Rating: K  
**

* * *

_Because they scare me_

_

* * *

_

Draco fidgeted discreetly from his seat on the sofa in the Granger's bustling living room.

Despite promising that she wouldn't move an inch from his side, Hermione had buggered off fifteen minutes ago to help her various family members in the kitchen.

She had promised to be back in one minute maximum and like the fool in love that he was, he had believed her.

He squirmed again and crossed his legs. Where the hell was she?

His eyes flew across the room and despite the many bushy haired females he saw, they were all too old, too fat, too ugly and in the case of one cousin, too toad looking to be his Hermione.

Merlin, where the hell was she?

Out of the din he heard her tinkling laugh like a beacon and he turned his head to the sound.

He released a long breath as he caught sight of her. Finally.

Standing from his position, he meandered quickly towards where she was standing.

It took a whole painstaking minute. How many bloody relatives did she have? And was it all necessary that they were here?

Merlin, he had thought that a welcoming to the Granger family would involve him, Hermione and his future in laws. Not every single bloody person with the surname Granger who currently lived in England.

When he finally reached Hermione, he had to wait until she finished her conversation with one of her many cousins.

He had learnt early on in his life that rudeness to any girl was equivalent to a huge turn on. They all desperately wanted a chance at melting his icy exterior.

He had learnt early on in his relationship with Hermione that rudeness was equivalent to no sex.

Scathing comments and demands where quickly trained to remain in his head.

But honestly, he was her fiancé. Surely he should come first.

The conversation teetered off and before another could start he reached out for Hermione's hand.

She turned her gaze on him and seeing the strained look on his face, her brow furrowed.

"I have to go."

"Go where?" she asked him confused.

"Back to the Manor. I'll be back in five minutes."

"Why?"

Draco shifted from one foot to the other as he hesitated and looked around. He sighed before leaning closer towards her so no-one else would hear. "I have to go to the loo."

Hermione pulled back and stared at him with a blank expression. "We have two loo's in the house. You can use one of them you know." She said with a bemused expression.

Draco shifted uncomfortably. "Look I'll be back in five minutes. You won't even know that I've gone." He lowered his voice even further, "I only need to pee."

"And what exactly is wrong with the toilets here?"

"I don't know who has been on there!"

"Excuse me." Hermione scoffed. "The loo's are perfectly clean."

"Yes, they're clean but…" He trailed off when he realised he had no argument that wouldn't keep Hermione from getting angry at him.

He watched as she rolled her eyes and leaned in towards him.

"You're a man Draco. Not to mention a wizard. Use a Scourgify charm if you must or just pee standing up like any other man."

Draco instantly pulled back in disgust at the image. Pee standing up! He was not some uncouth commoner like Weasley!

At the hard stubborn look on Hermione's face he grumbled and agreed that using a Scourgify charm would be suitable.

"It's upstairs on your left." She pointed out.

Nodding his head, he quickly made his way up the eleven steps to the second floor of the tiny house.

Finding the bathroom easily enough, he walked in before turning around and locking the door.

Unzipping his pants he pushed them down and rotated around until he was facing the toilet bowl.

Reaching down, he grabbed his wand and straightened.

His gaze went from his feet to the woman standing on top of the toilet.

Nearly screaming in shock he recoiled backwards until his back hit the door.

What the hell?

Realizing he was still half naked, Draco lifted his pants back up. Barely making sure he was decent, he unlocked the door and hurried back downstairs.

What in Merlin's saggy ball was that thing? Buggering hell.

Hermione it seemed had been waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs. "Are you okay now?" she teased. "I told you it wouldn't be so bad."

Draco nearly spluttered but he managed to contain himself. "No I'm not okay. There was a thing sitting on the toilet staring at me!"

"What?" Hermione asked in a bewildered tone.

"A thing." He eloquently explained.

At Hermione's single raised eyebrow he explained further, "A doll or something. It was staring at me." He repeated again in case she hadn't comprehended the absurdity of the situation from when he had first spoken.

The words were just out of his mouth before Hermione burst out laughing hysterically.

"What are you laughing at woman?" he demanded angrily.

Instead of answering him, his words seemed to cause her to laugh even harder.

"I'm going back home." He stated sulkily.

Her laughter dwindled slightly but when she finally stopped she was wiping tears out of her eyes.

"Oh Draco. Are you talking about the loo roll doll?" she asked him as if he was supposed to know what she was talking about.

"Well I don't know do I? It was a pink frilly dress wearing…thing."

"Oh Merlin. It's only a doll Draco. It's used to keep the spare toilet roll hidden. Didn't you check?"

"Of course I didn't check! I wasn't about to lift up her skirt now was I? Why the hell would Muggles have a staring doll when they go to the loo? It's completely ridiculous."

"Oh don't tell my Mum that. She's particularly attached to Susan."

"Susan! It has a name?"

"Yes. She's been there since I was born. Maybe even before. I think it's an antinque." She pondered.

Draco shook his head in disbelief. "That is it. I'm going home to use the loo. At least I'll be sure I'll get complete privacy."

Hermione didn't say anything to stop him and for which he was grateful.

"Don't you dare get one and stick it in one of the Manor's toilets." He threatened before he stepped into the coat closet to apparate away.

Hermione quickly opened the door to catch him before he left. "I won't get one as long as the colour scheme for the wedding is not silver."

"Fine." Draco quickly agreed.

"Or green." She added.

Draco gave her a steely look which had no effect at all.

Growling he nodded his head.

"And you'll be nicer to Crookshanks." she said quickly before he could leave for his privacy.

Giving her a look of annoyance but saying nothing, he apparated away.

When he got home he found Hermione's decrepit cat sitting on the bathroom mat.

Scowling and muttering "buggering fiend", Draco walked out and headed for the next nearest bathroom.

Crookshanks who had been enjoying a nice nap, opened his eyes upon hearing his new master's voice. Watching as he turned around and walked away, Crookshanks stood up on his legs.

Now that he was awake and his loving mistress was not in the Manor, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to bother his new master some more.

Smiling a hidden smile, he padded quickly until he was two steps behind him. A few hours dogging his footsteps would be the perfect exercise to get him back to sleep.

* * *

_Author's Note: Yes I am aware of how ridiculous this one-shot is but I started this collection so that I could write my ideas and put them out there in order to get them out of my system. Good/bad/boring/rubbish- anything goes. And when I came face to face with one of these dolls it freaked me out! I'm not sure if it's a British thing but for anyone who doesn't know what a toilet roll doll is, it's basically a doll wearing a very big old fashioned dress. The legs of the doll go inside the middle of the roll whilst the dress does the actual hiding. Until next time, Curiositykils._


	6. Discussion?

**Discussion?  
**

** 1178 words**

**Rating: K  
**

* * *

_For all the women out there who have wished it so..._

* * *

It was 08:30 in the morning and Hermione was sitting at her usual corner in the small cozy café in Diagon Alley.

Her chai tea was resting on the table in front of her and she had just finished reading the current news in the Wizarding Times.

As she folded the paper and laid it down on the seat next to her, she took a swift sip of her frequented morning beverage and glanced at the watch on her left wrist.

Precisely 08:30. Her morning routine was running perfectly on time. It was going to be a good day.

Hermione smiled a satisfactory smile before reaching over to unfold the second newspaper she read each morning.

Normally she wouldn't be caught reading the gossip that the Daily Prophet held but here, in her small nook, she liked to indulge herself away from prying eyes.

Here, in her small nook, she wasn't Hermione, famous war hero.

Here, in her small nook, she wasn't a famous Professor, co-inventor of the Anti- Lycanthrope Potion.

Here, in her small nook she was simply Hermione, everyday customer and creature of habit.

It was her favourite time of day, closely followed by coming home from spending eight hours at St Mungo's Potions lab.

Settling herself more comfortably against the plush cushion behind her, she took in today's salacious headline.

She smiled as the names D'Angelo and Clark flashed in front of her eyes.

Recently the wizarding world had been caught up in the story of Damien D'Angelo and Ria Clark.

Damien, a famous Italian Quidditch star and well known for his many endeavors with various women, had moved to England to join the Chudley Cannons Quidditch team.

For a hot headed Italian famous for saying the words "I will never leave the Glory Griffin's" Italy's number one Quidditch team, his move had been weathering up a public storm.

More so recently when he had been seen on numerous dates, not with his usual string of models, but Little Wizard's schoolteacher Ria Clark.

Speculation had been rife on just how serious their relationship was and whether Ria had played any part in Damien's decision to move country.

Hermione thought they were a lovely couple.

She had met them briefly at a charity ball St Mungo's had held a fortnight ago. The warmth and dare she say it love they felt for each other was easy to see for anyone in their presence.

Unfortunately it seemed Damien's past had caught up with him. An ex-girlfriend was claiming to be pregnant with his baby and if the dates were true, it meant she had gotten pregnant when Damien and Ria had already started dating.

Denial and accusations were being thrown about freely.

Hermione hoped the two of them would work through the problems and stay together but all she could do was simply read the latest developments in the paper.

She had barely read the first paragraph when a large pale hand slammed the paper down on the table.

Hermione jumped in surprise at the action.

No-one disturbed her quiet time.

Her gaze moved up from the pale hand, to the expensive watch, to the silver cufflinks, to the velvet robes all the way up to the angry face of Draco Malfoy.

Before she could say one word, a vial of liquid was dropped into her lap.

Looking down at it and instantly recognising the label, she winced slightly.

"What the hell is that?" he demanded.

Hermione clenched her teeth in resentment at his tone.

"What are you doing?" she asked him incredulously as she pulled the crumpled paper from under his fist.

Draco ignored her and repeated his question.

Deciding to play dumb, Hermione lifted the vial closer to her face and studied it mockingly.

"Why it looks like the pain-relief potion I invented four months ago." she said nonchalantly, purposely leaving out the information that he wanted her to say.

"It's a pain relief for witches in labor." He growled.

"I am aware of that. I did invent the potion after all."

"My wife is pregnant." He said, putting emphasis on the word wife, which caused a smile to appear on Hermione's face.

"Why congratulations."

Draco's left eye twitched dangerously.

Hermione's smile widened even more. It was such fun to annoy him.

"Don't play dumb with me. I found this in the bathroom cabinet."

"Well then I think you're a very generous man to give your wife such a lovely gift."

"A gift! You think this is a gift!"

"Yes. She is after all giving you a child. She's the one who has had to live with the morning sickness and the weird cravings of raspberry jam with every meal and the swollen feet and the back aches. I think it's the least you could do to take the potion."

Draco spluttered ineloquently.

"You can't be serious." He finally stated.

Hermione dropped the dumb act and looked at him straight on.

"I'm very serious."

"You must be joking."

Realizing that she wouldn't be able to have a sensible conversation with him in the next five minutes and that she was running behind in her morning routine, Hermione ignored his rhetorical question and smoothed out the paper in front of her.

Draco, it seemed had recognized the dismissing motion and stiffened before straightening his back to loom over her table.

"This isn't the end of the conversation." He said in a hard tone. "I will not be taking a potion so my wife's labor pain is transferred to me."

"I believe that's a conversation for you and your wife to have in the privacy of your own home."

"It seems my wife has already had the discussion without me."

"Maybe she thinks that there's not much point in having the discussion because she would come out the winner." She said in a sickly sweet voice.

Draco snorted. "And why would she think that?"

Hermione smiled and her eyes twinkled mischievously. "Maybe it's because she knows how much her husband loves her and would do anything for her." She shrugged her shoulders before continuing, "Or maybe it's because she knows how to make his life difficult if he doesn't agree."

Draco's blank face looked down at her, his expression giving nothing away.

Surprisingly, he simply clenched his teeth before spitting out a single sentence. "I'll see you at home."

Smiling Hermione watched him turn away.

"Oh wait Draco." She said and he turned back to face her. She unexpectedly chucked the vial of potion at him and with his Seeker reflexes, he caught it easily. "You'll need that." She smiled.

Narrowing his eyes at her, he turned back around and started walking off.

"Make sure you pick up the raspberry jam on your way home." She shouted out after him. "We've run out."

She bit back a laugh as she watched him walk away before finally looking back down at the Prophet.

Her watch showed that she was running four minutes late but Hermione found she didn't care.

It was still going to be a good day.

* * *

_Author's Note: Thank you for reading. Please review and until next time, Curiositykils. _


	7. Drunken Stupor

**Drunken Stupor  
**

**2445 words**

**Rating: M  
**

* * *

Hermione sat in a stiff armchair in Draco's bedroom and waited for him to walk in through the door or Floo. The minute hand moved and hit six. They were officially late.

Where was he?

A few once crazy now not so crazy scenarios later, and Hermione was startled as she saw the Floo change colour. Standing, she prepared herself for Draco to come out of the flames.

When he practically stumbled out, Hermione knew she shouldn't have been surprised but she was.

Swaying lightly on his feet, Draco lifted his head and turned to face her. Bloodshot eyes bore blankly into hers before he dismissively walked past her to the large bed.

Swallowing the lump in her throat Hermione finally spoke. "Where have you been?" she asked him in a light voice.

She got no response as he drunkenly fumbled to get his tie loose and undo his shirt buttons.

Hermione watched him stoically, her fingers twitching at her sides, desperate to go over to him and help.

"Draco?" she pushed again.

Once again the only sounds in the room were of his scuffling.

Hermione ran her eyes from the top of his form to the bottom. Messy scraggy hair, dirty crumpled robes and scuffed shoes.

Anger began to tingle in her chest. "Did you forget that we're supposed to have dinner with my parents tonight?"

Instead of answering he made a garbled noise. It was a mixture of a grunt, scoff and snort. A noise that the once dignified Draco Malfoy would never had made. It was now a noise that Hermione was getting used to hearing.

"Why don't you take a shower whilst I get some Anti-Inebriation potion from downstairs?" she suggested hopefully.

When there was no answer she silently walked out of his room and made her way to the Manor's kitchen.

Opening the Potions drawer she saw it was lacking in everything but Anti-Inebriation potion. Sighing sadly at the little green vials, she blindly grabbed one and shut the drawer.

She hurried back upstairs but when outside Draco's door, she found herself having to pause and take in a deep bracing breath before walking in.

He hadn't taken her suggestion of a shower; in fact he hadn't moved an inch. His eyes were fixed morosely on the floor and a crashing wave of sadness came over her at the sight.

She walked over to him until she was standing in front of his hunched body. He made no sign that he even knew she was there.

"Draco." She murmured quietly as she held out the vial towards him.

His head turned upwards slightly until it was looking at the potion in her hand. It was a few seconds before he reached out to take it.

Pulling out the cork, he tilted his head back and gulped its contents down. When he'd finished he lazily threw the bottle to the side. Hermione watched it roll towards the edge of the bed and then fall to the floor.

"Draco?" she said again in the hope that he would at least acknowledge her presence.

A grunt/snort/scoff was looking very good right now.

"What?" he said in a hoarse gritted voice. Hermione had to stifle a gasp at the anger in his tone.

"Are you feeling better?" she asked hesitantly, knowing the potion should be working its magic right now.

"Do I look like I'm feeling better?" he said in a sarcastic tone.

Hermione bit the inside of her cheek to stop an apology from blurting out of her mouth.

There was no movement from the two of them for ten seconds until Draco stood up suddenly. Hermione took a quick step back and her hands rose to help him stay standing. They stopped in their path at the hard look he gave her.

Dropping them back to her sides she bunched them into fists in an effort to hide the pain of his rejection.

For the next excruciating thirty seconds she watched helplessly as he walked, shuffled and stumbled into the bathroom.

It was only when he'd banged the door shut behind him that Hermione allowed herself to take in a shuddering breath of air and drop onto his bed.

Her heart was beating erratically fast and she pushed against her chest to calm it.

A bang came from behind the door followed by a swift string of loud curses and Hermione stiffened.

Again she bit her cheek to stop herself from asking him if he was okay.

When she heard the running water of the shower she sighed dejectedly before standing up and making her way to her purse.

She pulled out her cell phone and willed herself to call her parents. They would be disappointed that she was cancelling on them. It wasn't the first time and she wasn't looking forward to hearing the hidden wise tone in her mother's voice that made Hermione doubt if she was doing the right thing by staying here.

Even though she knew there wasn't even the slightest possibility, she put the phone back into her purse and waited for Draco to emerge from the bathroom.

Maybe the shower and Anti-Inebriation potion will have done its job and they would still be able to make dinner?

A chill ran up her back and she moved closer to the fireplace. As she stared into the cracking licks of flames she mentally cursed everything. The situation she was in, the situation Draco was in, his new company but most of all she cursed Lucius Malfoy for dying.

For that was when it had all started…

* * *

_Draco's grip on Hermione's arm was tight and painful as they stepped into the warm sunshine. _

_She said nothing, simply squeezing his hand back in support and comfort before she tilted her face to the rays of sun. _

_It was funny, she mused silently in her head. If she had to picture the funeral of Lucius Malfoy she would have thought it would be a dark, gloomy day. The rain would be falling heavily because even in death, there would be someone in the Magical Maintenance department who was afraid of Lucius Malfoy's wrath. _

_The thought made her think of the flip side of the situation. Maybe they were having such glorious sunshine, so uncommon for February, because someone in Magical Maintenance was happy that Lucius Malfoy no longer graced the Wizarding World with his foreboding presence. Hermione frowned at the thought. _

_Shaking her head she tried to clear her thoughts. She had to keep her wits about her. _

_This wasn't the first Wizarding funeral she was going to, that unfortunate privilege had been Dumbledore's, but as she saw the group of people in the distance she realized she wasn't looking forward to this funeral for completely different reasons. _

_As it turned out, she had nothing to worry about. She had only received the odd sneering look from the surprisingly large crowd of people who had turned up to say good-bye to Draco's father. _

_Or maybe they wanted to see if Lucius was actually dead or not? The thought popped into Hermione's mind and she mentally shooed it away. She shouldn't be thinking thoughts like that at the man's funeral. _

_Two hours later when the last guest had left, she tiredly took off her shoes and went in search for Draco. He had disappeared from her side forty-five minutes ago with Lucius's lawyer for the reading of his will and hadn't returned. _

_She walked into the study to find him sitting behind Lucius's desk sipping a large glass of Firewhiskey. _

_She frowned at the drink but said nothing. However when her gaze spotted the half empty bottle that was standing to the side of his left hand, her frown deepened. _

_That bottle had been full this morning. _

_She walked over to him and when she was standing next to him, her hand came up to rub at his shoulder soothingly. _

_"Don't you think you've had enough?" she asked him, knowing that he hadn't eaten anything today. _

_"Aren't I allowed to toast my acquiring of Lucius's company or the Manor?" he replied mockingly. _

_Her hand stiffened momentarily in its motion but didn't stop. His response was similar to when she had asked him if it was too early to be drinking that morning when she had woken at 6:30 to find him somewhere other than in bed next to her. _

_Only then it had been Draco toasting his father-Lucius's- memory. _

_The tone in his voice had been the same however. An underlying feeling of annoyance and anger at her question. _

_

* * *

_

She heard the shower stop running and straightened. That was four months ago and in that time, things had only gotten worse.

He came home late at night, drunk and cursing before he fell heavily into bed next to her.

He skipped work to spend time in seedy bars.

He "forgot" dates they'd planned. The most recent being the party her parents had held to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary. Hermione could still remember the burning mortification and humiliation as she'd lied to her parents, saying that Draco had a work emergency and wouldn't be able to make it.

The truth was that she hadn't a clue where he was and when she got home that night she would probably have to wait another two hours before he fell through the Floo in a drunken stupor.

He wasn't the man she'd fallen in love with ten months ago and she didn't know how to help him…

She turned around and after staring at the fire for so long, all she could see in front of her were light flashes. Blinking rapidly to clear her vision, it was just in time to see Draco falter out of the bathroom.

Something inside her snapped.

"I think you need to talk to someone." She said.

Draco made it to the bed before he looked at her blankly. Another annoyed "What?" was his belated response.

Hermione continued resolutely. She should have said this months ago. "I think you should talk to someone about Lucius's death. It's obviously still affecting you and I think if you talk to someone they'll be able to help you."

"Like one of those Muggle fucking shrinks." He spat out.

Hermione winced at his tone but continued. "Yes."

She watched Draco give her a disgusted look before he moved to lie down on the bed.

Muggle fucking shrinks as Draco had delicately put it, had been introduced to the Wizarding World two and a half years ago after the War ended. The stigma of talking about your problems to anyone let alone a non-family member still remained. It just wasn't done in the Wizarding World.

Slowly however, more and more people were making appointments to see the psychologists. Hopefully when the word spread on how they could help, the Wizarding World could finally start healing.

Hopefully Draco could start healing…

"Draco? Did you hear what I said?"

"Of course I heard what you fucking said. You don't fucking shut up. Why can't you just bugger off and leave me alone!" He shouted angrily.

Hermione knew that Draco was still drunk... That he was angry. But it didn't stop the slash of pain spreading across her chest. He had finally said the words to accompany his physical rejection of her presence.

There was stark silence for a moment before Hermione felt the tingle of burning in her eyes and the tightening in her throat. She rushed over to grab her purse so she could leave.

"Hermione please, I'm sorry." Draco said brokenly from the bed. Even though she knew she should carry on walking, out of the door and out of his life, she couldn't. "Please. I didn't mean it." He continued.

Hermione took in a hesitant breath before slowly turning around. He had pushed himself up into a sitting position on the bed and his eyes were so painfully vulnerable that her heart broke further.

How could she leave him? She would never be able to.

Uncertain at what to do, her mind was made up when Draco lifted an arm towards her. The fact he was actually initiating contact made her quickly walk back towards him. He pulled her down on the bed beside him.

"I'm sorry. Please don't leave me too. I need you. I'll talk to someone if you want but please don't leave me." He whispered hoarsely against her neck.

Hermione heard his words and took in his blurry eyes when he finally shifted his head back. She gently ran her fingers down his face. "I won't leave." She whispered.

She wasn't able to…

His relief was palpable. His shoulders drooped and he slid further down into the bed until his head was resting on her stomach. His arm slung over her hips, holding her tightly in case she disappeared.

Hermione didn't know what to do. It had been so long since he'd held her close like this but the situation was marred by the doubts that ran through her mind.

In the end, she simply gave up thinking. She stroked his back and ran her fingers through his silky hair until he fell into a deep sleep.

When she was sure he wouldn't wake up at the slightest of movements, she reached over and pulled out her cell phone.

Dialing in her parent's home number she steadied her breathing as she waited for her parents to pick up.

"Hello."

Hermione was both sad and glad that it was her mother that answered. "Hi Mum, it's me." She said.

"Hermione dear. Is everything okay? You're thirty minutes late."

"I know Mum. I'm sorry for calling so late. I don't think we'll be able to make it tonight. Draco isn't feeling well."

There was that painful wise silence that told Hermione her mother knew exactly why her daughter wasn't coming to dinner.

"Is he okay?" her mother finally spoke.

"Yes, I think it's a stomach bug or something. I'm sure he'll be fine tomorrow morning. You know how these things are." She tried to laugh breezily.

Her mother's murmur of agreement let Hermione know that she had failed in her action.

"I am sorry again." She said.

"Oh no dear. It can't be helped. Call me in the morning and I'm sure we'll be able to reschedule for another time."

"That would be great. I know Draco really wants to meet you."

"We want to meet him too. I'll talk to you in the morning."

"Okay Mum."

"Okay. I hope Draco gets better soon."

"Me too Mum." Hermione whispered before she hung up.

Merlin, please let him get better soon...

* * *

_Author's Note: __Thank you for reading and I hoped you liked this installment. Until next time, Curiositykils._


	8. Half Drunk Stupor

**Half Drunk Stupor**

**Sequel to Drunken Stupor**

**1284 words**

**Rating: M  
**

* * *

Hermione sat in the dark and waited for Draco to come home.

He'd been lying to her…after he'd promised her things would change…all this time.

She was an utter fool.

When she heard the familiar pop of Apparation Hermione didn't bother standing. She stayed in her position, sat in the dark, on the stiff armchair in Draco's bedroom.

She heard his footsteps near the bedroom and when he pushed the door open, a shaft of light from outside briefly illuminated her presence. He didn't see her.

Instead she had to wait and listen to him shuffle about the room before he managed to mumble out Lumos and the room lit up.

His surprised face at catching sight of her was plain for all to see before he quickly masked his expression into one of nonchalance.

"What are you doing sitting in the dark?" He asked her.

Hermione had to hand it to him. She could barely hear the slur in his words. It seems he had become apt at learning just how much he could drink without it psychically showing.

Hermione let out a quiet bitter scoff. For the cleverest witch of her age she was shockingly stupid when it came to this man.

She wouldn't have even caught him out if she hadn't made that impromptu visit to Diagon Alley this evening.

"How was your day?" she asked him steely.

If he registered the iciness of her tone he made no outward sign to show it.

When had this man registered _anything_ to do with her over the last five months? The sarcastic thought that entered her mind caused Hermione to smile wryly.

Over the last two weeks, she thought he'd begun to change. Revert back to old self. She'd been stupid.

"It was fine. How was yours?" He countered.

"Fine. I went to Diagon Alley this evening." She replied, watching him carefully as he removed his shirt for any stiffening in his movements.

There were none. "Oh?" he asked with general interest.

Hermione gritted her teeth. How had she come to mean so little to him? "Yes, I had to get some more Moonstone because we seem to have run out."

That caused Draco to falter momentarily and Hermione took cruel satisfaction in knowing she had finally rattled him.

"Moonstone?" he asked in a carefully neutral tone.

"I wanted to make some Pepper-Up Potion but it seemed we'd run out. Strange, since I remember buying a bundle two weeks ago."

"Maybe the House elves used it for something?" he offered.

Hermione scoffed out loud at his answer; her plan to handle this calmly swiftly thrown out of the window. "Or maybe you've been making cauldron loads of Anti-Inebriation potion behind my back." She countered loudly.

That got Draco's full attention and he turned sharply to face her. "What exactly are you suggesting?" His tone suggesting she should tread lightly.

Hermione finally stood in anger. "I'm suggesting exactly what I just said." She said in a hard tone.

When Draco didn't respond, Hermione shook her head in disbelief at how far he was willing to lie.

"I saw you today Draco. In Diagon Alley."

Draco's eyes rounded. His mouth opened but Hermione cut him off before he could emit another lie. "I suppose you're about to tell me that I was mistaken? Or that your appointment was cancelled? Or that you only went into the bar because you absolutely had to?"

"I-"

"You what Draco? What's the lie that you expect me to believe this time? Only I find it hard to imagine you have any excuse for the fact that you haven't made any appointments to see a psychologist and you've been lying to my face for the last two weeks!"

"I don't need to see a fucking shrink!" He shouted back angrily. "I'm dealing with this fine myself!"

"No you're not!" Hermione shook her head wildly. "The only thing that's changed is that you're drinking behind my back instead of right in front of me!"

Draco spluttered ineloquently and the fight suddenly left Hermione's body.

"You promised me." She whispered. "You promised that you would go and talk to someone."

He didn't answer her and so she continued. "I can't do this anymore."

The sharp look Draco sent her way made her hesitate and take a step back. "What are you talking about?" he demanded.

Tears started to fill Hermione's eyes and she angrily willed them away. She didn't want to cry. Not in front of Draco.

"I'm saying that I don't know how to help you anymore. I-I can't watch you do this to yourself. I can't…I won't."

"So you're fucking leaving me!"

Hermione trembled. Oh Merlin, please give her strength to do this. "Yes." She whispered hoarsely.

"You promised me that you wouldn't leave!"

"And you promised me that you would talk to a psychologist!"

"How am I supposed to get better if you're not here with me?" he asked her.

"I've _been_ here Draco. I've been here for the last five months since Lucius's death and I haven't helped you at all."

"No damn it! You can't leave me! If you go then I'll end up drinking twenty-four hours a day." He threatened.

Guilt bubbled up to the surface but Hermione resolutely pushed it away. She knew what he was trying to do and she wouldn't give in. Not this time.

"Don't- don't say that." Hermione's voice wobbled slightly.

Draco pounced at the insecurity. "I will. If you go then I'll get worse. There won't be anything left for me to stay sober for!"

Hermione swallowed the tightness in her throat and shook her head. "You had plenty to stay sober for eleven months ago before I came into your life and you'll have plenty after I've left."

"No!" Draco yelled. "Do you want me to beg? Is that it?"

Hermione's brow furrowed at the change in direction. "What? No."

Draco continued as if he hadn't heard her. "Because if that's what you want then I'll do it. If you want to see me on my knees begging you to stay…"

He dropped to his knees and Hermione backed away from him. The tears now fell over from her eyes.

"No. I don't want you to beg. I want you to get better."

"I will get better. Please. Just give me one more chance. Please. I'll make an appointment with the psychologist. I'll get better for you. Just don't leave." He pleaded.

Hermione sobbed at the words and fell to the floor in front of him. She cradled his face until she was looking right into his eyes. "That's the problem Draco. You need to get better for yourself. Not for me. And you can't do that if I'm here." She pleaded with him to understand.

He wrenched his head from her hold and stood up. Hermione craned her head up to look at him, her legs numb and unable to stand.

"Fine. If you want to leave then leave. I don't give a Hippogriff shit. Why should I care?"

Why indeed…

He turned away from her and stalked into the bathroom. Hermione watched him go in a stunned daze which was broken when he slammed the bathroom door shut.

Oh Merlin…

Two more body-wrenching sobs tumbled out of her chest before she realized that she couldn't do this here.

Standing up blindly, she stumbled over to the fireplace. With a quick pinch of Floo powder she let the warm flames whisk her away.

Away from the Manor and away from the man she'd loved for the last eleven months.

Away from the man who watched her leave through a crack in the door with painful grey eyes.

* * *

_Author's Note: So this is the sequel to the last chapter. I didn't get the best response to the last chapter but I knew it would be a risk before I uploaded it. Even more of a risk to upload this one! If you hated the prequel than this one was probably even worse to read but like I said in a previous chapter, I write what comes into my head. Hopefully the next one-shot will be more your cup of tea otherwise. Thank you for reading and until next time, Curiositykils. _


	9. Will you marry me?

**Will you marry me?  
**

**1467 words**

**Rating: T  
**

__

* * *

_Date and Time: 17/05/2010 12:47_

_Participants of Conversation: Draco Malfoy and Narcissa Malfoy_

"Will you marry me?" Draco finished his speech and waited for any feedback his mother could give him.

Her eyes widened and she gasped in a long breath of air.

Draco's eyes widened in anticipation.

Narcissa's mouth opened…and she burst into tears.

"Oh Draco…" she sobbed.

From his position kneeling on the floor and his mother's head now thoroughly covered with her hands, Draco was unable to ascertain if they were happy tears or sad tears.

"Mother?" he asked carefully.

"My baby's getting married!" she yelled out hoarsely before bringing her wet hands to cup Draco's cheeks.

"Yes, but what did you think? Was it okay?" he asked her.

He was suddenly pulled forward as his mother jerked on the scruff of his robes in order to hug him.

"My baby's getting married." She sobbed against his neck.

Draco sighed before bringing his arms up to rub at her back.

__

_Outcome of conversation: 5/10 _

* * *

_Date and Time: 18/05/2010 09:03_

_Participants of Conversation: Draco Malfoy and Lucius Malfoy_

"Will you marry me?" Draco finished his speech and waited for any feedback his father could give him.

Only it didn't seem so forthcoming. Lucius was staring at him with a blank expression.

Draco shifted uncomfortably.

"You are planning on asking her to marry you?" he asked.

"Yes."

"And you came to me for advice?"

"Yes."

"This is the first time you have come to me for advice since the war ended." He said.

"I am aware."

Lucius seemed to deliberate for a moment. "I believe you are making the right decision."

And that was it. Lucius turned back to his work.

Draco sighed before standing up and walking out of his father's office.

__

_Outcome of conversation: 5/10 _

* * *

_Date and Time: 19/05/2010 23:11_

_Participants of Conversation: Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini_

"Will you marry me?" Draco finished his speech and waited for any feedback his best-friend could give him.

Blaise opened his mouth and promptly fell to the floor, laughing hysterically as he went.

"You're going to ask her to marry you?" he managed to choke out.

Draco lifted an eyebrow in annoyance. "Yes."

More laughter. "I never thought I'd see the day that Draco Malfoy had to resort to marriage in order to get a witch to put out."

"I see you're still dating Hermione's muggle friend." Draco said referring to the Muggle phrase.

That caused Blaise to shut up and he stood up from the floor, a serious expression on his face. "We aren't dating. I don't date. I have mutually exclusive agreements with women that meet both mine and her needs."

Draco snorted. "Can we get back to the question in hand? The engagement party is in two days time and I still haven't asked her." He said impatiently.

A chuckle escaped Blaise's lips before he gave up all pretenses and was laughing hysterically all over again. "I never thought I'd see the day. Wow, you must really be losing your touch."

Draco gritted his teeth together. "I am not doing this to get Hermione to have sex with me. That ship sailed months ago."

Blaise stopped laughing and his brow furrowed. "I don't understand. Why are you asking her to marry you if she's already sleeping with you?" he asked in a nonplussed tone.

Draco sighed and shook his head before apparating away.

__

_Outcome of conversation: 3/10 _

* * *

_Date and Time: 20/05/2010 18:43_

_Participants of Conversation: Draco Malfoy, Theodore Nott and Gregory Goyle_

"Will you marry me?" Draco finished his speech and waited for any feedback his friends could give him.

Two pairs of eyes stared back at him. One thoughtful and the other vacant.

"You are aware that since the War ended, the number of divorce petitions being processed at the Ministry is at an all time high. Granted the data is skewed by the majority of cases being old Pureblood marriages however divorces where the spouses were married after the war have seen a steady increase too." Theo stopped to take a breath.

Draco opened his mouth to quickly interject but Theo started talking again.

"Now there has been some evidence that this is due to the high number of marriages that took place in the following months after the War ended. This is of course due to Harringboil's Survival theory which states that individuals were so affected with the death and general depravity they'd witnessed, they grabbed the first person they saw and got married in an effort to live each day to the full and still obtain some sense of comfort in the War's aftermath."

Theo took the time to take in another calm breath of air and this time Draco was so busy wondering how his friend could talk for so long without stopping that he simply nodded along dimly.

"Now seeing how you and Hermione Granger ha-"

"Hermione Granger?" he asked Theo.

Theo raised an eyebrow at the interruption before answering. "Hermione Granger and I have only made formal acquaintances three times in the period you've dated her. It is too short a time for me to call her by her first name in a friendly manner. It would imply a level of informality to our relationship that we do not have and therefore referring to her as simply Hermione would be thoroughly rude."

"I don't think she'd mind if you called her Hermione." Draco said.

"I mind." Theo replied in a serious tone.

"Sorry, you were saying?" Draco said.

"Yes. Seeing how you and Hermione Granger have been dating for a long period of time, I believe Harringboil's Survival theory does not apply to you. However I feel I should warn you that marriages between Pureblood's and Muggleborn's have a very low survival rate."

Draco digested the cauldron full of information Theo had just dropped onto him. His head started buzzing in confusion. Numbly he turned to Greg. "What do you think?"

Greg looked up from his plate of food. "She can cook." He stated.

"Um, yes she can." Draco replied.

"That's good." He resumed eating.

And that was that.

__

_Outcome of conversation: 2/10 _

* * *

_Date and Time: 21/05/2010 19:57_

_Participants of Conversation: Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter_

"Now you understand that you're my last resort, don't you?" Draco said to Harry urgently.

From behind his round spectacles he saw Potter give him a confused look.

"What are you talking about?" he asked Draco.

Draco shifted from one foot to the other. "I need to practice something on you."

"What?" Harry said in a guarded voice.

"Nothing funny. It- I just haven't quite got around to proposing to Hermione yet."

"What? This is your engagement party we're at."

"I am aware of that particular point Potter. I just want- I need to get this right, okay. I need some advice."

"Don't you have better people to ask advice from?" Harry asked uncomfortably.

"No. You're the only person left." Draco snapped.

Harry sighed. "Okay fine. What do you have so far?"

Draco smiled before reaching into his robes and taking out the ring box. Dropping to one knee, he opened the box and held it out in front of him.

"Hermione. I wish I could say that I loved you from the first moment I saw you but unfortunately I was a complete idiot. I hexed you and cursed you-"

"That's not the best start." Harry interjected.

"Why not?" Draco demanded.

"You really want to bring up how you treated her like shit when she was younger in your proposal? You are asking her to spend the rest of her life with you. You do realise that right?"

Draco dragged a hand through his hair. "Okay. Let's just skip the beginning." He lifted the ring up in front of him again.

"I lov-"

The door opened and he froze. Both his and Harry's head turned to face Hermione as she stared at the two of them with an ever-growing smile on her shocked face.

"Oh I'm sorry. I'll just leave you two lovebirds to it." She said as she held back a laugh and closed the door.

Draco immediately got off his knee. Potter was already spluttering ineloquently by his side.

Damn it.

__

_Outcome of conversation: 0/10 _

* * *

_Date and Time: 21/05/2010 00:52_

_Participants of Conversation: Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger_

"Hermione." Draco whispered.

"What?" she murmured sleepily against his chest.

"Are you sleeping?" he asked.

"I was." She replied.

"Sorry." He said sheepishly.

"It's okay."

"I love you."

Hermione snuggled her head closer to his chest and he felt her lips stretch into a smile against his chest. "I love you too."

He waited a few moments. "Will you marry me?"

He waited tensely for her reply.

"Yes." She whispered back.

And that was it.

__

_Outcome of conversation: 10/10_

* * *

_Author's Note: So fluffiness galore. I just want to thank everyone for the unexpected response I got to the last chapter! It was the highest reviewed oneshot so far which was a pleasant surprise! I really appreciated hearing your kind words and I hope this pleased you guys too! If you have any prompts or ideas I would be very willing to hear them. As always thanks for reading and until next time, Curiositykils_


	10. Muggle Lies

**Muggle Lies  
**

**834 words**

**Rating: T  
**

* * *

Draco awoke suddenly from the wonderful dream he was having. His very sexy wife had been giving him a very sexy viewing of the very sexy lingerie he had bought her. But he had been interrupted just as she was getting to the good bits!

He was just about to open his eyes when he heard the reason for the interruption. His wife's hands were tapping away on that infernal Muggle toplap she'd bought a few months ago.

Merlin, if he had known the blasted thing was going to cause him so many sleepless nights he would have accidentally broken the bloody thing before she'd placed all her protective charms over it.

Keeping his eyes closed to prevent them burning from the light on the toplap's opening bit, he turned to face her.

An arm came out to find how far her body was to his. A whole arm's length away (and Draco had long arms) his fingers rubbed against some bare skin. It was soft. Her thigh.

Inching himself closer so he could reach the area more easily, he ran his fingers up and down the expanse of skin.

"What are you doing?" he mumbled, even though he knew the answer.

"Shhh, go back to sleep." She whispered.

"I can't." Draco replied back annoyed.

"Why not?" she asked.

"Because my wife isn't sleeping and she's banging away at the letters on the toplap!"

"It's a laptop Draco." She corrected.

"It's infernal Muggle magic which shouldn't have made it past the Manor's front door."

"That's why I flooed it straight into our bedroom. You know you really do need to change the wards."

"Not if it means I carry on getting a decent night's sleep." He muttered under his breath.

"What did you just say?" she asked him sharply.

"Nothing dear. What did you say you were doing?" Draco evaded the question quickly.

"You know what so why ask?"

"Because I'm hoping the answer will have changed. Honestly Hermione, why do you bother reading the rubbish? It only upsets you."

"And it doesn't upset you?" she replied incredulously.

"Not really. They're writing about me. I'm _that_ handsome and famous that I'm recognized in the Muggle world. And you're _that_ beautiful and famous that you're recognized in the Muggle World. You should be reveling and flattered at their attention."

"But they're writing lies about our life Draco! How can you not care?" she asked him again.

Draco sighed. "Does it really matter? We know the truth. We know what's in our past. Let them change the course of history if they wish. It won't change anything."

"I know but still…some of the things they write are really awful. And it's mostly about you. It makes me so angry."

Draco had never before asked his wife on what these Muggle writers wrote about him. Perhaps it was time to ask.

"Well what do they write?"

"Oh Draco. Some of these stories say you're a Veela and that I'm apparently your mate or some say you're a vampire and you bite me."

"Well I do bite you," he said teasingly as his hand inched up her thigh, "and I am oddly handsome so you can forgive them for misinterpreting can't you?"

"Draco would you please be serious for a moment. Look here, this one author…what's their name…ah yes, Curiositykils…she's particularly awful."

"Why, what does she say?"

"Well in one of her stories you blackmail me into sleeping with you in exchange for money for an orphanage, in another you apparently leave me when I tell you I'm dying and in another you're only with me because you need to get your inheritance and you think it will look good when you're trying to find investors for your new business!"

Draco finally cracked open his eyes. "Well firstly I have never had to resort to blackmail in order to get a woman to sleep with me, I will never ever leave you, especially if you're dying and if anyone's with anybody because of their money, it's you with me. I was the rich one when we first started dating."

He could still see the disgruntled look on Hermione's face. "Look, how do the stories end?" he asked.

"Well in the first one we live happily ever after it seems. In the second one, you come back and spend my last hours with me and she hasn't finished the third one so I can't tell you how that ends."

"Well the only legitimacy in her stories is that we live happily ever after. They'll never know the truth so let them write their lies."

"I guess." She replied uncertainly.

Draco lifted his arm and shut the top of the laptop. He then moved it to the bedside table.

"It really doesn't bother you?"

"It really doesn't bother me." He said firmly.

Sighing tiredly, his wife _finally _snuggled close to him under the duvet.

"Draco?" she said quietly.

"Hmm."

"In one of her stories you also once slept with Pansy."

"WHAT?"

* * *

_Author's Note: __Hopefully you all liked this oneshot! If you can't laugh at yourself who can you laugh at? Thanks for the reviews for the last chapter! Until next time, Curiositykils_


	11. She's always a woman

**She's Always A Woman  
**

**7500 words**

**Rating: M  
**

* * *

**_She can kill with a smile, she can wound with her eyes._**

ooo**_  
_**

Blaise whistled under his breath from where he stood next to Draco.

Draco quickly turned to look at him with puzzled eyes. When Blaise didn't turn away from whatever or whoever he was staring at, Draco followed his line of vision.

His eyes landed on the silhouette of a small curvy woman and his eyebrows rose.

"Cute." Draco said as he eyed her up.

Blaise chuckled deeply before turning to face his friend. "I'm glad you think so. I wasn't the one she was just eyeing up." He said with raised eyebrows.

It took Draco a while to catch on to what Blaise's statement meant. When he did, Draco immediately turned his head back to the woman. She had changed position so she was facing him head on.

He could see her talking enthusiastically to her friend and after staring at her for twenty seconds without blinking, Draco was ready to believe that Blaise had been mistaken. She hadn't glanced his way once.

Just when he was about to shake his head and ignore Blaise's words, her eyes shifted away from her friend's face and across to his.

Surprise flickered over her face when Draco met her stare before she smiled at him.

Draco felt his own mouth turn up into a smile.

Blaise gave another deep chuckle. "Who would have thought? Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger eyeing each other up across a crowded room."

Draco stiffened before turning his head sharply towards Blaise.

"What?" he demanded.

Blaise turned to face him with surprised eyes. "You and the Gryffindor princess."

"That's Granger?" Draco said disbelievingly as he turned back to face the woman he had just been wordlessly flirting with.

Blaise snorted. "What? You didn't recognize her."

"No."

Holy Merlin…Granger looked…hot.

"Well I suggest you start remembering because she's coming this way." Blaise said.

Draco stiffened before forcing himself to slowly turn back towards her.

When she came to a stop in front of the two and gave them a brilliant smile, Draco found himself leaning against the bar counter behind him to steady himself.

"Hello." She said to Blaise before turning to him. "Would you like to join us?" she asked him.

And that was it. He was hooked.

ooo

**_And she can ruin your faith with her casual lies._**

ooo**_  
_**

Draco watched as Hermione put another bite of fish into her mouth and closed her eyes in pleasure.

"Oh Merlin Draco. This has got to be the best fish I've ever had. This place is amazing!" she groaned in appreciation.

Draco shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "I'm glad you like it." he said.

Hermione gave another groan and the tip of her tiny pink tongue came out to swipe over her bottom lip.

Draco's pants got that much tighter in response.

"How did you find this place? It's so hidden away from the main street." She asked.

Draco smiled at the fact she hadn't known about the restaurant and that the Malfoy name still carried some weight.

"Blaise told me about it." Draco said, deciding to leave out that according to Blaise, bringing a girl on a date here meant he was going to get lucky for sure.

"I have never eaten anything so good. It's melting in my mouth." Hermione told him.

"Only the best for my girlfriend." Draco told her as he smiled indulgently.

He watched Hermione stiffen and she lifted her head from her food to look at him in surprise.

"I'm your girlfriend?" she asked him.

Draco squirmed in his seat and this time it had nothing to do with his slight erection.

"Since this is our sixth date I assumed we were dating."

Hermione's eyes narrowed and Draco thought he saw a glint of teasing in their honey depths.

"I didn't realise we were dating exclusively." She said nonchalantly.

Now it was Draco's time to freeze. She'd been seeing some other fucking bastard?

"Excuse me." He said.

Hermione's mouth twitched. "I said I didn't know we were dating exclusively. You never said before."

It took all Draco had to not demand who else she'd been seeing so he could go and hex the bastard.

"I thought it would be expected. When I date a woman I imagine myself to be the only one courting her."

At his words Hermione burst out into light tinkling laughter. Draco's eyes narrowed at her response.

"Oh Draco. You should see your face." She said in between choked breaths. "I can't believe you believed me!" she said as she struggled to breath.

"You were joking." Draco said evenly.

"Of course I was. I wouldn't be dating someone else at the same time I was going out with you!"

Draco slumped in relief and chuckled nervously along with her.

ooo

**_And she only reveals what she wants you to see. She hides like a child, but she's always a woman to me._**

ooo**_  
_**

As soon as Draco stepped into his house he knew something was wrong. No wrong is the incorrect word.

Things were different.

He would have been worried if he hadn't received his earlier note from Hermione telling him that he had a surprise in store when he got home.

Taking off his robe and charming it to hang itself, he peeked into the living room only to find it empty.

"Hermione?" he called out in question.

He heard nothing and became even more puzzled. Looking around his eyes landed on a small folded note on the bottom stair that he hadn't noticed.

Bending down, he picked it up and unfolded it.

Come and find me. The words appeared in Slytherin green ink and Draco smirked at the challenge.

Untying his tie, he strolled into the kitchen. A quick glance over the room told Draco that Hermione wasn't there.

He moved back into the hallway and quickly popped his head into the downstairs loo as he passed it.

"Her-mione." He called out as he came to a stop outside the coat closet.

He waited before suddenly opening the door. Seeing the dark space that was minus a girlfriend he slumped his shoulders in defeat.

At that precise moment he heard a thud from upstairs followed by a giggle.

Chuckling at Hermione's playfulness, Draco jumped up the stairs taking them two at a time. The first room he came across was the guest bedroom.

It was quickly dismissed along with the second guest bedroom. That left only the bathroom and the main bedroom.

Draco quickly checked the bathroom before heading to the bedroom.

He opened the door…only to find it empty. He quickly rummaged through his huge closet before frowning. Where was she?

There was another giggle from behind him and Draco turned around. There was no-one there.

"Hermione?" he called out again.

"Hello Draco." came her purring voice in his ear.

And that was when it hit him. With raised eyebrows he called out, not sure if she was still in the vicinity. "I like to see my girlfriend when I get home. When she's hiding underneath her friend's Invisibility Cloak that makes it quite difficult."

Her tinkling laughter came from the direction of the bed. "You can see me once you find me." She teased.

Draco moved towards her voice and reached out. His hand encountered soft material and pinching a small amount between his fingers, he pulled the Cloak towards him slowly.

Hermione's bare legs were the first to be uncovered. His breath hitched as it was followed by a bare waist and then some thin straps.

Losing all patience he dragged the Cloak off her in one quick motion before being struck dumb at the view in front of him.

Merlin's balls. He hadn't seen this lingerie on her before. The fact that she had bought it purposefully for this moment made a warm fire spread through him.

"So you found me."

"I most definitely did." Draco said before he swooped down.

ooo

**_She can lead you to love, she can take you or leave you._**

ooo**_  
_**

"See this is nice." Hermione said to him as she swung their entwined arms lightly between them.

"The sun's shining through the trees, the fresh air and the cooling breeze." She said in a persuading tone.

Draco smiled. He had been completely against the whole idea about taking a walk to pass the time.

If Hermione wanted to pass the time in his company, he could definitely come up with a better idea that involved a lot more exercise.

All though he wouldn't dare admit to her that he was enjoying himself. Holding her hand…being so relaxed.

It felt nice…there was no other word to describe it.

"So how was your day? Did you get the outcome of the case that you wanted?" she asked him.

Draco nodded his head before explaining his latest case to her.

Hermione nodded her head along and gave her input when she thought it was needed.

Draco was glad that she took an interest in his work and that he could have serious conversations with her when he wanted to.

He was so busy explaining one of his other cases to her that he only noticed she'd stopped walking when he walked past her and her hand slipped out of his.

Turning back to where she stood stiffly, Draco saw her looking at something behind him and quickly turned back around.

Oh bloody Merlin.

A shock of red-haired Weasley's and Potter were standing there, mouths agape as they stared at the two of them.

Well it looks like the cat is out of the bag, Draco thought.

It was then that he realised no-one had spoken and he stiffened.

He and Hermione had been going out for months now and the question of when they would tell their friends and family (apart from Blaise and Hermione's muggle friend Lucy who already knew about there relationship) had never been spoken.

What would Hermione do now that she was faced with the decision? And then he felt her tiny hand move into his.

He turned to look at her as she stood beside him, proudly and defiantly staring at the stunned crowd.

Smiling at her and with the weight of rejection firmly off his shoulders, Draco stood taller and gave her fingers a gentle squeeze before turning to face the crowd with her.

ooo

**_She can ask for the truth but she'll never believe._**

ooo**_  
_**

Draco watched as his clearly flustered girlfriend jumped around her bedroom, mumbling words under her breath that he couldn't hear.

Two minutes ago he had briefly contemplated letting her know how late they were running but he'd thought better of it.

He hadn't wanted a hex being sent his way for being unhelpful and sarcastic.

Instead he waited patiently as she rushed around, throwing clothes around the bedroom and magically changing her make-up to go with each new outfit.

He wanted her to be comfortable and knew the only way she would be was if she believed she looked her best.

With one final change she finally stood in front of him with an expectant look on her face.

Draco did the compulsory look over her outfit even though he didn't need to. She'd looked amazing in the previous seven outfits.

"You look beautiful." He told her.

Hermione glanced down at her outfit as she nibbled on her bottom lip unsurely.

"I'm not sure." She said. "The colour is a little bland and maybe the shoes look too fancy. And the make-up isn't really natural looking the way your Mum likes it."

Draco bit his tongue to keep in his laughter. "Hermione, my parents are not going to care if you don't have the same make-up on as my Mother. You look fine." He told her.

Hermione looked up at him with huge brown eyes. "I look fine? Fine? This is one of the most important days in my life and you're telling me that I look fine?"

"No." Draco quickly backtracked. "You look beautiful!"

"I have to change!" she announced before stepping out of Draco's arms and returning to her previous headless chicken routine.

Draco sighed before leaning back in his previous position against the door jamb.

ooo

**_And she'll take what you'll give her as long as it's free._**

ooo**_  
_**

Draco saw Hermione sitting in the chair at the breakfast counter and sneaked up behind her. Breathing in her fresh soapy scent and amazed that she could become so involved in her book that she didn't even realise he was standing behind her; he bent downwards and enveloped her in a bear hug.

He felt her jump in surprise and kissed the side of her neck in apology.

"Happy Birthday love." He growled into her ear.

Hermione smiled and turned her head so he could kiss her lips.

"I got you a present." He said against her mouth.

She leaned away from him and he followed her in an effort to keep her mouth in the same area as his. He moaned when she bent so low that he couldn't follow any further.

"I told you not to get me a present." She said.

Taking her hand, Draco pulled her back upright.

"It's my girlfriend's birthday. I think I'm allowed to get her present."

Hermione didn't look convinced. She looked even more unconvinced when Draco accioed a long jewellery case.

"Draco." She said warningly.

He pushed the case into her resisting hands. "Come on. Open it."

She gave him one last look before opening the box. He watched in satisfaction as her eyes widened at the diamond necklace he'd picked out.

"Merlin Draco."

"Do you like it?" he asked hopefully.

"It's too much. I can't accept this!" she said as she closed the case and reached out to hand it to him.

Draco frowned at her actions. "It's a birthday present. You can't give it back."

"Draco…"

"Hermione." He sighed. "Look we've been over this before. It's your birthday- let me buy you something nice for once and forget about how much it might have cost me."

Hermione looked painfully unsure before she finally dropped her hand into her lap.

"Okay…but it's going into my Gringotts vault. If someone stole this or it broke or I lost it…" she shuddered at the thought.

Draco moved closer and lifted her to her feet so he could close his hands around her waist. "I bought it so it could be worn. Not hidden away in fear of something happening to it."

"But it's so expensive…"

"It's replaceable." He told her firmly. "I want you to wear it tonight when we go out for dinner."

Hermione smiled before giving him a light peck on the lips in agreement and thanks. Moving out of his arms, she took her cereal bowl over to the sink and started washing it in the Muggle way.

The domestic scene tugged at Draco's stomach and suddenly he knew what he wanted.

"Move in with me." He said.

The bowl in Hermione's hand clattered into the sink as she turned around and stared at him.

"What?" she said breathily.

"Move in with me." Draco stated firmly.

Hermione's mouth was opening and closing wordlessly and Draco hurriedly continued.

"We've been going out for seven months now. Move in with me." He said surely.

It must have taken a few seconds for his words to firmly settle in Hermione's mind because before Draco could brace himself, she was running towards him.

Draco just about caught her as she jumped onto him and held on tight around his neck. Her bubbling laughter was tinkling in his ear.

"Yes." She said. "I'll move in with you."

Draco smiled widely at her agreement before the two got into a heated kiss. It was only more of Hermione's giddy laughter that brought an end to the kiss.

"Best birthday present ever." She whispered hotly into his ear.

ooo

**_Yeah, she steals like a thief, but she's always a woman to me._**

ooo

"Have you seen my black T-shirt?" he asked Hermione.

"My first weekend here and you're ditching me for your friends." She replied dramatically as she ignored his question.

Draco ignored her teasing and made sure to keep his eyes way from her. She was lying on his side of the bed, comfortably settled under the duvet and Draco knew that if he looked at her now, he would never leave for Blaise's boy's night out.

Feeling the towel around his lips beginning to loosen he quickly changed track.

"What about my green boxers?" he asked her.

He caught her raised eyebrows in the mirror. "Your lucky green boxers?" she asked him. "And why would you need those."

Draco smiled at her teasing. "I may have gotten lucky and found myself the best witch in the Wizarding World but that doesn't mean I'm not a rubbish blackjack player."

Hermione laughed lightly.

Rummaging through his drawers, Draco couldn't find either of the two items he was searching for.

"Where are they?" he asked himself more than Hermione.

"I suggest you find yourself a new pair of lucky green boxers." She said from the bed.

Draco turned to her suspiciously. "And why's that?"

"Because I'm comfy."

Draco gave her a raised eyebrow in response before she sighed and shifted the duvet off her body.

The witch was wearing a thin practically see through top but it was his green boxers on her curvy hips that caused Draco to stumble.

Merlin's balls…

"Do you like my new pajamas?" she asked his teasingly.

ooo

**_Oooh, she takes care of herself._**

ooo**_  
_**

"I'm surprised that you managed to drag yourself away from your witch to grace us with your presence tonight." Blaise joked.

Draco mentally snorted before turning to his friend. "You have no idea how hard it was." He laughed.

Blaise gave a chuckle in response before taking another sip of firewhiskey.

"So I saw Parkinson yesterday. After what happened between her and Hermione I was surprised to find her still walking around without boils covering every inch of her. If it was me I would have definitely hexed her."

Draco turned to him sharply, brow crinkled in confusion. "What are you talking about? What happened between Hermione and Parkinson?" he demanded.

Blaise's eyebrows rose in surprise. "You didn't know." He said. "Merlin, it was all over the front page of the Prophet. I can't believe you didn't see it."

Draco's mind went back to a few days ago when the Prophet and mysteriously not arrived at their house. Hermione had suggested that there might have been a problem because of the Owl strikes.

"What happened?" he repeated.

Blaise took another sip of his drink before answering.

"Apparently Hermione was in Diagon Alley a few nights ago and she ran into Pansy who wasn't too pleased to hear the two of you were dating. Pansy started mouthing off and Hermione ignored her for the most part. It got messy when Pansy started waving her wand around like a madwoman."

At the look of outrage on Draco's face Blaise hurriedly continued. "Not that anything happened. Two seconds later Hermione had stunned Pansy but unfortunately in those two seconds the Prophet managed to take a picture and blow the incident way out of scale."

"But Hermione was alright?" Draco asked, surprised that Hermione had kept something like this from him.

"Please, Parkinson's obviously crazy if she thought she was going to win in a duel with Hermione. She didn't get a scratch. Your witch certainly knows how to look out for herself."

Yes she certainly does. Draco thought proudly.

ooo

**_She can wait if she wants, she's ahead of her time._**

ooo

"Did you see the article in the Prophet today?" Draco said angrily as he apparated into their bedroom. "I can't believe we're still the centre of attention. It's ridiculous!"

He saw Hermione's sympathetic face. "Why doesn't this annoy you?" he asked her.

She crawled across the bed to where he was standing before she took his hands in hers.

"I've learnt to ignore it." She replied in a manner far too simple to sit well with him.

He sighed as he leant towards her. His forehead came to a rest against hers and he breathed in deeply.

"They're never going to accept me are they? All they're going to see is an ex Death-Eater dating their beloved Gryffindor princess. They're going to hate me forever." He said hopelessly.

Hermione's hands moved to grip the front of his shirt tightly.

"No…don't say that…I love you so much. And one day they'll see why I love you. Their opinion of you will change. I'm sure of it. It'll just take time."

Draco snorted at her words. "How much time? A century?"

Hermione's hands moved up to cup his face. She tugged on his head until he was staring into her eyes.

"I don't care how long it takes them to realise how wrong they are. Weeks…Months…Years…A century…I'll be standing right here beside you when they do."

"I love you." Draco said before he bent down to kiss her.

ooo

**_Oooooh, and she never gives out, and she never gives in,_**

ooo

"What about Mexican?" Draco asked as he picked up the menu.

"We had tacos at the beginning of the week." Hermione dismissed.

"Okay." Draco said as he chucked the menu down and picked up the next one. "Pizza?"

At Hermione's wrinkled nose he sighed before throwing the menu back down onto the table and picking up the next one.

"Indian?"

"I would be happy with a curry."

Draco wouldn't be so he kept the menu on one side before he carried on looking through the rest of the menus.

"I feel like Thai."

"Thai?" Hermione said. "Mhmm." She gave a neutral noise.

"So we're agreed."

"…No."

ooo

**_She just changes her mind._**

ooo

"Thai."

"Indian."

"Thai."

"Indian."

"Thai!"

"We can have Thai tomorrow."

"We can have Indian tomorrow."

As Draco tried to stare Hermione down, she tried to do the same to him. Thirty seconds later and the two hadn't gotten any further.

"I'm getting hungrier by the second."

"How about we look at each other's menus?" Hermione suggested.

Draco mutely raised an eyebrow before passing her the Thai menu and taking the Indian one from her unresisting hand.

Five seconds of perusal time is when Hermione let out an excited squeal.

"Ooh. Ginny was telling me about the Kung Chu Chi she had a few days ago." Hermione squealed as she flipped to the front of the menu to see the name of the restaurant. "It was from here! Let's get Thai today. We can have Indian tomorrow." She said as she handed the menu back to Draco.

Draco simply stared at her in disbelief.

ooo

**_And she'll promise you more than the Garden of Eden._**

ooo**_  
_**

"Hermione. No. There's no way that I'm goin-"

"Please!" Hermione cut him off. "They're important to me. I've barely seen them in the last few months."

"That's because Weasel's been acting like a twat ever since he found out about us. Some friend." He scoffed.

"Draco." Hermione scolded. "Don't call him that. Please- he's one of my best friends."

Draco snorted at her words. "Best friend? You just said you haven't even talked to him in ages."

"Exactly. It's been months. Maybe he's got used to the idea of us by now. And it's Christmas! Things shouldn't be like this at Christmas."

"Well you can send him a letter saying Happy Holidays!" Draco said sarcastically, "But there is no way I'm spending the Christmas with the Weasley's. Anyway, my parents and your parents are expecting us."

"We're having breakfast with your parents and dinner with mine. That leaves the afternoon free."

"Hermione. No." Draco told her.

Hermione huffed before putting her puppy dog look on her face.

"Please-"

"Hermione-"

She cut him off as she sidled up close next to him. "If you do this I promise that I'll cook you your favourite dinner tomorrow." She said cajolingly.

Draco smiled at her tactics.

"Uh-uh." He shook his head.

"I won't nag you about the cleaning for the next month."

"Nope." He laughed.

Hermione moved closer to him and positioned her mouth next to his ear. Her following words caused his eyes to widen and blood to move straight to between his legs.

When she'd finished speaking she moved her head back. Draco caught the triumph in her smile but didn't care.

"Deal." He said hoarsely before he lifted her off her feet.

Her tinkling laughter rang in his ear all the way to the bedroom.

ooo

**_And she'll carelessly cut you and laugh while you're bleeding._**

ooo**_  
_**

She'd left him. After promising she wouldn't leave him alone at the mercy of the Weasel's she'd buggered off.

He'd told her to go to the loo before they'd left but the silly witch had just laughed at him. And now where was she? In the bloody loo. And he hadn't been allowed to go with her. He'd asked. She'd refused.

And now here he was. Being herded into his seat that wasn't on the corner of the table with Hermione on the other side of him as he'd hoped but in the middle of two male Weasel's.

The werewolf and the dragon tamer. The most annoying Weasel of all had somehow been herded into the seat opposite him.

Bloody fantastic.

He was going to double everything Hermione had promised she was going to do to him. If he didn't punish her first.

"So Malfoy. How'd you manage to snag our Hermione?" asked the twin.

"Got lucky I suppose." He replied.

"The real question is why she picked the Ferret." Most annoying Weasel spouted hatefully.

There are gasps of "Ron!" from both Ginny and Mother Weasel but that doesn't stop him.

"I don't understand why she's lowered her standard so much. I mean a Death Eater." He spits out before looking at the rest of the people sitting around the table. "And you're all sitting here willing to forget the fact that we nearly lost our lives because of him."

There's a stunned silence and it takes all of Draco's strength to not punch the Weasel in the face, grab Hermione apparate away from this hell.

The silence is broken as Hermione cheerily walks into the room, oblivious to the tense air.

"What'd I miss?" she says as she sits down on the empty seat and unravels her napkin.

Annoying Weasel lets out a humorless laugh. "We were just taking a trip down memory lane. Our Hogwarts years." He says steely.

Hermione gives a delighted laugh. "Oh my goodness. Do you remember Professor Moody turning Draco into a ferret? I don't think I've ever laughed so hard!"

ooo

**_But she'll bring out the best and the worst you can be._**

ooo**_  
_**

Draco lit the candles on the table and dimmed the lights in the room. Proudly he looked over the table and nodded his head satisfactorily. All that he needed was to check over the dinner one last time before sitting down and waiting for Hermione to get back home.

An hour later and Draco had given up all hope. Where the hell was she? Dinner was completely ruined. He'd try to freeze the chicken so it wouldn't carry on cooking whilst still staying warm but having never preformed the spell before had meant it had somehow speeded up the cooking stage.

His wonderful rosemary and garlic chicken was now a dry mess.

It was their anniversary for Merlin's sake. She knew he was planning something special and the bloody witch decided to not even have the decency to turn up on time. He'd blown out the candles and was now waiting for her to get home.

Draco was contemplating on whether to just give up and clear the table when he heard her apparate in.

"Draco?" she called out.

The indifference of her tone caused Draco to become even angrier. He said nothing in response to her call and waited for her to come into the room.

"I'm so sorry I got held up." She said before she turned into the room.

When she saw the table and Draco's angry face her own face projected apology. He ignored it.

"Where have you been?" He asked her neutrally.

He watched her hesitate and that caused him to straighten up from where he'd been leaning against the table.

"Hermione." He said expectantly.

"I was having a drink with Ron." She said quickly.

Draco felt the anger explode in his chest. "What?"

Hermione quickly rushed to explain. "He sent me a letter saying that he was finally accepting the fact that if he wanted to be friends with me then he would have to spend time with you. He wanted to meet up for a drink to say sorry."

"And you had to meet up with him today? On our anniversary? When you know that I had something planned?"

"Draco-"

"When you know that he's still in love with you."

"What?" Hermione said incredulously. "Ron isn't in love with me!"

"You're fucking blind if you can't even see how jealous he is." Draco yelled.

"Don't swear at me."

"Whether or not the Weasel is in love with you isn't even the point. You're over an hour late!"

"Don't call him that. The Weasley's were perfectly nice to you at Christmas."

Draco spluttered as he struggled to get his words out of his mouth.

"Perfectly nice to me?" he asked coldly as he stalked towards Hermione. "They were perfectly nice to me when you were in the room. You didn't hear what that _Weasel _said to me when you were in the loo!"

Draco saw Hermione open her mouth but he continued.

"But then again, you would have probably stood by and said nothing. After all, you did join in. I suppose I should be happy if you kept your mouth shut."

Draco watched Hermione recoil at the tone of his voice. "What?" she whispered hoarsely.

"All that stuff about me being a Ferret. The Quidditch games that I lost to Potter. Do you think it was fun for me to be sat there being humiliated for three hours?"

"We were joking." She said quietly. He could see the tears gathering in her eyes and he looked away to stop himself from softening.

"No. You may have been joking. But the rest of them most definitely were not."

"Why didn't you tell me? If I knew then-"

"Then what? What would you have done? I didn't want to go to their house in the first place!"

"They're like my family Draco; I can't just cut them out of my life!"

"So I'm supposed to put up with them treating me like Hippogrif shit?" Draco yelled bitterly. "You know what. If you want to become part of their family so much then why don't you just go ahead and marry the Weasel. That way you won't have to choose."

And with that he angrily apparated out of the room.

ooo

**_Blame it all on yourself, cause she's always a woman to me._**

ooo**_  
_**

Draco had been in the Hog's Head for all of thirty seconds when sanity returned and he realised he'd fucked up. He knew that he needed to go back home and apologise. Fuck- he was willing to get on his knees and grovel for forgiveness.

But he was still angry…What had she been thinking? How could she be so blind as to how the Weasel felt about her?

Merlin, his own family had been making cracks about it all throughout Christmas day. She surely couldn't be so naïve as to think they were all joking.

Only he knew he was lying. It was Hermione- she was that naïve. How many times had he thought that? How many times had he made a promise to himself that he would protect her from those who wished to take advantage of her innocent naivety?

As Draco's mind cleared out of its angry haze he slumped even more in his bar stool.

Bugger- he'd told her to leave him. What if she thought that she meant nothing to him and decided to take his advice and leave? Where would he be then?

He needed to get his sorry arse home and apologize. Right this minute.

With strong determination he apparated back to their living room. The room was pitch black and when Draco lit it up with his wand; he saw that Hermione had cleared the table. The kitchen was similarly clean- it was as if the whole evening hadn't occurred.

Like a coward he waited for a few seconds to see if she was upstairs or if she'd left. When he heard a floorboard creak above his head he let out a breath of relief.

Quickly walking up the stairs he moved towards their bedroom. Hermione was indeed still here. But if the half filled suitcase and her tear stained face where anything to go by, she wouldn't be here for long.

"Hermione." Draco croaked.

He watched as he back froze for a second before her arms came up to furiously wipe at her face. Guiltily, Draco walked towards her.

"Hermione." He repeated, wishing she would turn around. "I'm so sorry." He pleaded. "I didn't mean what I said. I was just angry."

"You still said it." Hermione choked out. "You told me to leave as if I meant nothing to you. As if you wouldn't care if I left or not."

Draco couldn't let her think that. His hand circled around her arm and he twisted her around so she could face him.

"You mean everything to me. Please- I didn't mean what I said. I was just angry…" At Hermione's shaking head Draco trailed off.

"I don't believe you." She said brokenly and Draco's felt his chest contract. How did he make her believe?

"Please." He whispered. "I love you. Don't leave me. I'm sorry. Please."

Hermione stood stiffly as Draco held her against him and whispered words of forgiveness into her ear and neck.

"Okay." She finally agreed.

Draco immediately moved his head back so he could see her face clearly. "You'll stay?"

Hermione hesitantly nodded her head before quickly opening her mouth. "But you have to understand. The Weasley's are like my parents. They're my family. I'm sorry if I hurt you at Christmas. But I can't cut them out. And if this is going to work then you're going to have to get used to them and they'll have to get used to you. If not…"

Draco quickly shook his head. "I'll try, I promise. As long as they-"

He was cut off when Hermione nodded her head. "I'll talk to them." She said as she finally let the tension ease out of her body. "But please-"

"I promise. I'll prove it to you." Draco vowed.

He was going to lose the most important thing in his life because of the Weasley's.

ooo

**_She is frequently kind and she's suddenly cruel._**

ooo**_  
_**

Draco was dreading today. He should have been looking forward to it. After all, his best friend was getting married. Only it was to the red-head. He had no problems with Ginny- it's just that today would be the first time he would be coming face to face with her family since his and Hermione's big fight three weeks ago.

He wished he could desperately say that Hermione had completely forgiven and all was fine but he couldn't. The fight had changed their relationship and the fact that the problem hadn't been completely resolved had been lurking in the background, casting a horrible cloud on everything.

It felt like the two of them had been walking on eggshells around each other. They were stuck in this polite rut that involved chaste morning kisses and giving into whatever the other wanted so they wouldn't get into another fight.

Draco hated it.

He wanted his Hermione back. The one who would kiss him senseless when he was least expecting it and argued with him.

"How are you feeling?" Draco asked Blaise when he was snapped out of his daze by him.

Blaise shot him a confident look. "Great." He replied back brightly.

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Really? No nerves? No worries that she'll change her mind and leave you at the altar?"

His words didn't seem to bother Blaise one bit. "Nope. She isn't going to leave me. She wouldn't get to shag me otherwise." He joked.

Draco rolled his eyes at the typical Blaise response.

"I should be asking how you're feeling." Blaise said. At Draco's own raised eyebrow he continued, "You know with Ginny's brother's being here."

Draco sighed before giving a shrug of his shoulders. "I haven't really come face to face with any of them yet so I can't really say."

"You do realise that Hermione is Ginny's bridesmaid don't you?" Blaise asked.

Draco gave him a look and Blaise responded by rolling his eyes. "I know you _know_ but you do realise what that means don't you?"

"That my girlfriend is too busy carrying out her bridesmaid duties that there's no time left for a quick shag?" Draco said sarcastically.

"No. That Ron is one of my groomsman and they'll probably have to dance sometime during the night."

Draco was only too aware of that particular fact but fortunately since he was Blaise's best man he was planning on keeping a firm hold of Hermione when the dancing started. He was hoping that she would refuse to dance with the Weasel.

Unfortunately when the time came and the Weasel- Ron cut his dance with Hermione, she glanced over at him once before taking the Weasel's hand and allowing him to lead her away.

Leaving him standing alone on the dance floor.

ooo

**_But she can do as she pleases, she's nobody's fool._**

ooo

Draco watched the Weasel lead his girlfriend around the dance floor. More importantly, he watched where the Weasel placed his hands.

Twice, he'd dipped too low and he'd seen Hermione stiffen. He'd been all ready to hex the bastard when Hermione had lifted her eyes to his and looked at him with raised eyebrows.

It had taken him a moment to realise what she was doing and his mind flashed back to the night of the fight.

"I'll prove it to you." He'd told her. Was this her way of making him prove himself?

Draco had loosened his hold over his wand and on seeing that he wasn't planning on doing anything, Hermione had firmly told the Weasel off.

And yet here he was with his hands dipping dangerously low again.

Bloody Weasel needed to be hunted, caught and stuffed by those weird Muggles.

Draco's hand was now clenched tightly against his wand and it was taking every bit of strength he had to not hex the bastard away from Hermione.

How much longer was this bloody song going to go on for? He half wanted to storm over there and cut in but he didn't know how Hermione would react. Did that count as not being able to prove he could handle her spending time in the Weasel's presence?

Merlin, this was all so fucked up. He wanted to lock himself and Hermione away so they could get their relationship back on track. Maybe even catch up on the sex they'd been neglecting.

She was right here in front of him and he missed her. How the fuck was that possible?

At that moment the music reached a crescendo before coming to a big finish. Draco stood up straight from the pillar he was leaning and his body clenched in anticipation.

The band was already striking up the music for the next dance. Was Hermione going to carry on dancing with him? Was it okay for him to cut him now?

He watched with baited breath as the two conversed on the dance floor. During this time, he saw the Weasel's eyes glance at him coldly more than once. Before Draco could figure out what they might have been talking about, Hermione turned away from the Weasel and made her way towards him.

The tension was still tightly coiled in his body, despite her having reached him. She gave him a hesitant smile before moving so she was standing to the side of him.

Draco didn't know what to say. Had he passed her little test? Would everything be okay between them now?

He was still debating this when he felt Hermione's hand slip into his. He froze for a millisecond before he tightly clasped it to his. She gave him a light squeeze and a look before turning back to face the dancing couples.

And Draco knew. No words were needed. They were going to be okay.

ooo

**_And she can't be convicted, she's earned her degree._**

ooo

"How come you always liked exams in Hogwarts?" Draco asked Hermione. He hoped she wouldn't think it to be a random question but the stare she gave him when she looked up from the book she was reading told him he'd failed.

"What?" Hermione said perplexedly.

Draco shrugged his shoulders in a nonchalant manner. "Exams. How come you always liked them?"

Hermione seemed to contemplate his question for a few moments before answering.

"I don't know. I suppose it was because it's an excellent way of figuring how well you're doing in whatever you're carrying out. It can tell you how much harder you need to work to get to where you want to get."

"How well do you think we're doing?" Draco asked nervously.

"How well we're doing in what?"

"You know. Our relationship."

Hermione gave him another funny look before answering. "I think we're doing great…Draco what is going on?"

Draco ignored her question. "And you like getting good grades right. Like passing tests?"

Hermione gave a confused chuckle. "Of course I like getting good grades and passing tests."

"I have a test for you." Draco stated.

"O-kay." Hermione said slowly.

"Question one. What's my birth date?"

"5th of June." She replied.

Draco smiled. "Correct. Question two- What is my favourite Quidditch team?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "The Chudley Cannons."

"Right. What my favourite food?"

"Parisian chocolates from your mother."

Draco nodded. "My favourite subject at Hogwarts?"

"Potions." Hermione answered instantly.

"Who am I backing in the next Ministerial election?"

"Jenna Ghoul."

"What part of my job do I like the most?"

"The fact that you're helping people." Hermione replied. "Because in your eyes it's a way to make up for treating everyone the way you did in Hogwarts and during the War. It's your retribution. Each family you help pulls you back that much more onto the "good" side." She said quietly.

Draco stared at her. He had no clue she understood how he felt so well. "Not the money?" he asked hoarsely.

"Not the money." Hermione said as she moved closer to him. "Draco, what's going on?" she asked him as she settled close to his side.

"You haven't gotten a question wrong yet. Seems you know me pretty well."

Hermione gave him a small smile. "It seems I do. Do I pass?" she asked jokingly.

Draco kissed her cheek. "There's just one more question. It'll be the hardest test you've ever had to take but I'm sure you'll manage it in your usual stride."

"What is it?"

"Will you marry me?"

Draco held his breath as Hermione simply stared at him silently for a few moments.

"I do love passing tests." She said before she shifted her head and kissed him.

ooo

**_And the most she will do is throw shadows at you,_**

ooo

"Thirty years." Draco whispered to Hermione as they cuddled up to each other.

"Thirty years." She agreed.

Draco smiled before moving to kiss his wife's soft cheek. "You look even more beautiful than the first time I saw you in that club."

Hermione snorted before moving her head back to stare into her husband's eyes with a raised eyebrow. "And I think you've grown even more dangerously charming than the first time I saw you."

"You think I would lie to you?" Draco asked shocked.

Hermione laughed. "I know you would lie to me. Don't try to pull that with me Draco Malfoy."

"I'm offended." Draco said.

"Now I definitely know you're lying." She replied.

Draco smiled before the two lapsed into a comfortable silence.

"Did you ever think that we would get to where we are today?" he asked Hermione.

She smiled wistfully. "Apart from at our first anniversary then yes." She teased.

Draco groaned at the memory. "You had to bring that up didn't you?"

"Oh come on. It's funny."

"It isn't funny. Twenty-nine years ago today I could have lost you."

"But you didn't." Hermione replied as she moved closer to his form. "And anyway- It was kind of sweet when you got all jealous."

"I still get jealous." Draco admitted grudgingly.

"I know and it's still sweet." Hermione giggled into his neck.

"I love you." Draco whispered.

"And I love you."

ooo

**_But she's always a woman to me._**

**_

* * *

_**

_Author's Note: I have to say that I'm feel quite proud of this oneshot and would love to hear what you guys have to say about it so please review. The song is by Billy Joel and I take no credit for his creation which I have to say is one of the most romantic songs I've ever heard. I also have a new story out called Annoying Hermione so check it out if you're interested. Thank you for reading and until next time, Curiositykils. _


	12. Stupid vs Realistic

**Stupid vs. Realistic**

**1000 words**

**Rating K**+**  
**

* * *

Hermione scratched at her gritty eyes before running her hands through her hair frustratingly.

The curls ensnared her fingers before she'd barely got half way down her head and this only frustrated her further. Wasting a minute to untangle herself she sighed.

She was getting nowhere! Why was she getting nowhere?

Everyone was depending on her. She was the brains of the Golden Trio. It was expected of her to have all the answers.

And yet she had nothing.

Morning would come soon and she would have to look into the eyes of the people she loved most in the world and tell them that she had nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

There would be disappointment. Hidden disappointment but still disappointment. And Hermione would get that feeling of failure all over again.

Taking in a deep breath to clear the lump in her throat, she forced her eyes to widen as far as they could stretch without stinging unbearably before she looked back down at the table in front of her. Surely there had to be something in these tomes? Some clue…

"Granger."

Hermione jumped in her chair before she rushed to stand up. Her eyes followed Malfoy's blonde head as he moved along the narrow gap on the other side of the dining table and came towards her.

"Malfoy." She replied politely before she glanced uneasily back down at the papers and books in front of her.

Malfoy may have made an Unbreakable Vow to help the Order in their fight against Voldemort but she still felt edgy around him. Resisting the powerful urge to gather all the papers and hold them to her chest protectively, she moved her eyes back to him.

"What are you doing here?" she blurted out before she could stop herself.

Malfoy looked at her with dangerous amusement. She had made it plain for him to see the effect he had on her and Hermione mentally berated herself.

"Getting a glass of water Granger. Or is that not allowed now?" he asked sarcastically.

Hermione didn't reply. Instead she just watched his seemingly slow movements as he grabbed a glass from the cupboard and filled it up with water. Her hopes that he would take his glass back up to his bedroom with him were dashed when he leaned against the sink and sipped.

She could see his steel eyes over the rim of the glass and she clenched her teeth, willing him to hurry up.

He lowered his glass and Hermione held her breath.

"What are you still doing up Granger? Shouldn't you be tucked in bed dreaming sweet dreams by now?"

Hermione stared at him stoically. "I don't think that's any of your business Malfoy."

Malfoy shot her a slow smile at her defensive answer before taking another sip.

Hermione let out her held breath.

"So have you found the location of the next Horcrux then?" He asked casually.

Hermione was sure her surprise was showing clearly on her face.

"And what do you know about the Horcruxes Malfoy? As per the details of your Vow you have to tell the Order everything you may know that could help in Voldemort's downfall."

"I know the details of my Vow Granger." Malfoy replied coldly.

There was a moment of silence as Malfoy merely stared at her. When his lips turned into that all too familiar sneer, Hermione stood up that much straighter, ready to take whatever insult he was about to throw her way.

"So what's the plan then? You find the Hocruxes, Potter and his loyal cohorts go and pluck them from their resting place before you all go marching into battle to kill you-know-who?"

Hermione winced. He was spot on with the plan but when he said it like that it seemed…foolish.

When she didn't answer him Malfoy snorted quietly before taking another sip of water.

"Do you know what he's going to do to you Granger?"

His tone of voice changed and it caused her to hold another breath.

"Who?" she whispered even though she knew who he was referring to.

Malfoy ignored her whispered question. "Any other member of this Order he'd kill without a thought…but you…you've been a pain in his bony arse since our first year of Hogwarts. You've thwarted his plans for years. You've not seen the things he does to those who've angered him more than once. The screams...the blood…the pain. He won't just kill you Granger. He'll play with you until you beg him for death. All this and you plan on walking right up to him?" He said the last sentence with a scoff.

Hermione blinked rapidly in the hope to clear away the images her mind created upon his words.

She knew he wasn't lying. She'd seen Hannah Abbott when she'd been brought back to the Headquarters after her captivity. She was bleeding in places that had left no questions as to what she'd been through. What they had done to her. She'd been broken.

"I'm surprised you care what happens to me Malfoy."

Malfoy simply stared at her. It was a moment too long. "I don't care what happens to you Granger." He said before finally draining his glass.

Feeling rattled at both his words and presence, Hermione grabbed her papers and books quickly in her arms before turning to rush out of the room. Just as she was about to step out of the door Malfoy called out again.

"Granger."

Hermione stupidly stopped in her steps.

"You're going to die." He whispered softly.

Hermione closed her eyes briefly before she turned back around to face him.

"You say that as if it's meant to shock me Malfoy."

This time it was his turn to look surprised. It quickly turned to anger. "And you're still planning on fighting him? For the brainy third of the Golden Trio you sure are stupid."

Hermione looked at him for a few seconds. "I'm not stupid Malfoy. I'm realistic." And with that she turned and walked away.

* * *

_Author's Note: Thank you for reading and until next time Curiositykils_


	13. Clandestine Meeting

**Clandestine Meeting  
**

**779 words**

**Rating K****  
**

* * *

_Spooks Inspired_

_

* * *

_

It was dark. It was quiet. It was simply moonlit.

That's what Hermione felt it should be like…Like a movie.

Except of course she was in the middle of Muggle London and it was Christmas. Garish lights burst forth and sparkled; even behind closed eyelids.

Hermione liked it. No- she loved it.

Light bursting through the darkness. Making her feel less lost. Less useless in her pitiable life.

She was watching the lights twinkling behind her shut eyes when she felt him slide down next to her.

Their bench finally held both parties.

Hermione didn't open her eyes. Didn't feel as if she could see him yet. It would hurt. It always hurt.

But she knew that this would be the last time. And despite the hurt, she knew regret would be the overriding emotion if she didn't photograph his features to memory one last time.

"I thought everything that had to be said was."

Ah his silky rumbling voice. Always holding a touch of childish petulance.

Hermione smiled. Then she swallowed the lump in her throat.

Finally her eyes opened but she didn't turn to look at him. Not yet.

"I wanted to explain." She said.

Surprise that her voice hadn't wobbled didn't show. It was yet another thing that a year's crash course in Auror's training had provided her.

The tools of life indeed. What little those Ministry officials knew.

"There's nothing to explain. You said no."

Anger. She had expected the emotion to come from him and yet she felt sadness that it would mar this moment.

Their last clandestine meeting.

On a bench on Oxford Street opposite the 113 bus stop.

It sounded romantic. Or was she simply romanticizing the moment. Hermione pondered her musings before coming to a conclusion. Tragic romance – that suited the two of them perfectly.

Another lump to swallow.

Too bad Auror training hadn't taught her how to control this unwanted bodily function.

"It wouldn't have worked. It would never have worked." She replied.

Silence and a shuffle was her response from him.

"Can you imagine it?" Hermione said. A small wry smile formed with her lips. "The two of us alone and rattling around in a cottage somewhere- Salisbury. I always wanted to live in Salisbury. It seems- quiet."

"Safe." Draco added.

Hermione nodded her head. She knew he would understand. He always did. In the end he would understand why she had requested this meeting with him. Why she'd said no to his- to him.

"We wouldn't know what to do." She continued.

"We would live." Draco said strongly.

"We would live a lie Draco. This is our life. We've both seen too much. Know too much…Done too much."

Hermione paused as her mind gave a brief preview of the screams that would haunt her when she closed her eyes to rest.

Crimson veins contouring down her hands and flowing around her wand.

"It's too late for us to have that sort of life. Here we can live with what we do. Face our…demons. In our little cottage we would have to hide it away. Pretend that the things we've both done never existed. Lie."

Hermione had to take another pause before she could face the thought of saying the next sentence out loud.

The finality of it would sever them both. In more ways than one.

But she had to do it. They needed to stop living such a dangerous dream.

She shifted her gloved hand until it brushed against his gloved fingers. Contact. Unbearable contact.

"I think we forfeited that sort of life, you and me. We picked the lives we have. Now we have to live with our choices. We can never be more together than we are right now."

The truth. Cold. Hard. Painful.

Met with silence. Only a few moments though.

Fingers forced apart.

"Voldemort is planning an attack in two days time. Muggle London. West End. Seven in the evening."

Draco's voice was cold. Perfectly devoid of any emotion.

Hermione's mind still echoed with the consequences of her words and she merely nodded at the information.

And then he was gone. A faceless white mask in a sea of hundreds that she would inevitably face.

A tear trickled out. Instantly attracting the cold weather and turning numb. A thought flickered through Hermione's mind and she gasped painfully.

Her head instantly snapped in the direction he had walked off in.

She hadn't seen his face. One last time. She hadn't seen.

Regret. Utter regret.

Hermione walked away from their bench. She wouldn't come here again. Neither would Draco.

Death Eater. Auror.

Auror. Death Eater.

Draco. Hermione.

Hermione. Draco.

Mixed.

Together.

One.

Yet always apart.

* * *

_Author's Note: Until next time. Curiositykils.  
_


	14. Roses are red?

**Roses are red?**

**6975 words**

**Rating T****  
**

* * *

Hermione sighed as she walked into an elevator in the Ministry of Magic. Pressing the button for Level 5 she sighed again as she caught another sympathetic look. Smiling to the contributor she sank back into the crowd of workers that had bustled into the elevator after her. Holding her breath till the doors shut, she finally allowed herself to relax a little before she let out a quiet puff of air.

Thank Merlin she was getting a break.

She knew it would be…difficult once everyone found out what had happened but this was completely ridiculous. People she'd never talked to or even seen in her life were sending her supporting smiles.

There were two reasons why this annoyed her so much.

Firstly, she didn't want anybody's pity.

Secondly, she felt horribly guilty. She knew she should have been more sad or angry at the situation she was in but all she really felt was…relief. It definitely wasn't the right feeling to be feeling and seeing everybody's compassionate looks just reminded her of the fact.

Before she wanted it, the lifts were opening again. Level 5. Breathe in and hold. Check. Smile. Check. Sassy walk that she'd spent the morning perfecting. Check. With her head held high she walked out of the lift.

As she walked past the various stations of the Auror office she kept her eyes fixed on her desk, ignoring the unusual hush that had befallen her colleagues as she'd stepped out of the elevator.

Twelve steps and a sharp turn to avoid Harry (she would face him later- she couldn't face him just yet) she finally reached her desk. Her eyes immediately fell to the rose lying innocently on top of her files.

Dropping her bag into the bottom drawer of her desk, gaze still suspiciously eyeing up the rose, she fingered it tentatively with her wand.

Eleven seconds later and when she was satisfied that the flower didn't hold any evil curses that would harm her; she gingerly picked up the de-thorned stem and twisted it between her fingers.

A rose. A light pink rose. Its sweet fragrance wafted towards Hermione's nose and she breathed it in deeply. A second later she realised that she still didn't know who it was from. Looking back on top of the files for a note of some sort she was disappointed when she found nothing.

With puzzled eyebrows she lifted her head and looked around the office. The light din that was representative of the department she'd worked in for years had returned and people were bustling around, carrying out their usual activities. There was no-one waiting around or looking at her.

It was probably Harry. He'd probably been bullied into it from Pansy. It was the kind of thing that Pansy would do. Shaking her head at her friend's antics but secretly pleased that they'd cared so much, she took another sniff.

She was pulled out of her reverie when a report was dropped down in front of her. Looking up she met the steel coloured gaze of her blonde haired colleague.

"If you've finished day-dreaming I suggest you get to work before Kingsley catches you."

At his words Hermione smiled. It was just like Draco Malfoy to ignore office gossip and plough on. Nodding her head in acknowledgment at his words she dropped her gaze to the report he'd dropped in front of her.

"Nice flower." Hermione heard him say. When she looked back up he was already walking away.

Hermione watched him make his way to his own station, the Field Operatives, before she took the book she was currently reading and replaced the bookmark with the rose.

Smiling she closed the book and got to work.

**_A light pink rose represents "sympathy"_**

"Our F.O's have all been briefed on the updates. The primary suspects have made some unusual activity lately. The Profile Operatives have determined that they'll make their move in a few months. This means we need to get busy coming up with a suitable plan so they'll show their cards and we can arrest them. I trust you and your team will be able to think up something appropriate?" Kingsley asked.

Hermione looked up from the notebook she was scribbling in. She met Kingsley's gaze and nodded once.

Kingsley smiled a small smile before the Head of the Auror Department mask fell over his features again.

"I don't want to stop monitoring the other suspect groups yet. There could be a chance they might be involved. Auror Malfoy, I'm reassigning your team to Group B. Apart from Group A they're the ones who've got the most to gain from an attack. So far we've unearthed that three of their members have direct relatives in Azkaban. Auror Rookwood, since you're the newest member of the team with a relative in Azkaban, you'll be going undercover. See Auror Granger for a suitable back story."

Hermione flicked her gaze over to William Rookwood who gave her a small smile which she returned before she looked over to Malfoy. She saw him looking at William with an indiscernible look on his face before his eyes met hers. Hermione looked at him for a further second before looking back down.

"Well I think that it's for now." Kingsley finished.

Hermione put her quill away before standing up and gathering her papers. She carried out the task slowly having no desire to be part of the crowd that was stuck trying to get out of the door.

"Hey have you got a minute?" Harry asked.

Hermione looked up and met his emerald gaze. She'd managed to avoid him for the last few days but it looked like her luck had finally run out. Damn, she would have been better off taking her place in the crowd.

Realizing she had no way out she nodded weakly.

"Look Mione. I'm really sorry. I never meant to hurt you." He pleaded.

"I know. I'm not angry at you it's just-. Why didn't you tell me when you found out? Why keep lying to me?"

"I'm sorry. I know it was the wrong thing to do it's just- I can't believe it was actually happening. I mean everyone thought you and Ron were perfect for each other. I couldn't believe it when I saw him and Lavender together. He told me that he would tell you and I believed him."

Hermione didn't know what to say so instead she said nothing. She heard Harry take in another deep breath.

"Are you coming tonight?" he asked.

Hermione looked at him. "Are you crazy? I might not be overly upset at the situation but even I have to draw a line at having dinner with my ex boyfriend and the girl he was cheating on me with. It's only been a few days since I found out about them!"

"Molly wants you there."

"It'll be too strange."

"It'll be strange if you're not there. The Weasley's are your family too. They miss you."

Hermione sighed. "I know. I miss them too."

"Then you'll come. Please. Show Ron and Lavender that you don't care."

Hermione knew Harry wasn't going to give in. He could be surprisingly stubborn when he wanted to.

"Okay I'll come. But if it's too weird then I'm leaving early. And you have to promise to back up my story that I'm not feeling well."

"Done." Harry smiled. "I'll see you later." He said before he walked out.

Hermione nodded before she hastily gathered up the remainder of her papers. She stepped out of the meeting room and turned left without looking where she was going.

She only just managed to stop herself from bumping into someone.

"Oh Malfoy. I didn't see you there." Hermione gasped. How long had he been standing there?

"I wanted to see when you would be free so we can establish William's back story." He said.

"Oh. Well I just need to check something with the P.O's and then I'll be free now if you like."

Draco nodded. "I'll get William and come and find you. Give us ten minutes."

Hermione nodded her head before making her way to the P.O station.

After double checking her facts on whether the suspects in Group B would be likely to believe her back story for William, Hermione made her way to her desk.

Another rose was there to greet her. What? Looking around she once again saw no one hovering in the vicinity. Quickly performing her checks she picked up the rose. The fragrance was just as sweet as the first rose she'd received five days ago. The only difference was the colour.

Maybe the roses weren't meant for her. After all she'd broken up with Ron and even he was never the sort to give thoughtful gifts. Harry was also out of the question too. One rose to say sorry was believable but another one?

"Hey Jasmine. Did you see who left this on my desk?" she asked her fellow Intelligence Officer.

She watched Jasmine eye the flower and then shake her head. "No, but it's so romantic. You've got a secret admirer. Oh it's so sweet."

Hermione was shocked. She'd just watched the second in command of her team, a woman who was usually a no-nonsense get straight to the point kind of girl; melt romantically into a droopy eyed puddle.

It took another second before her words registered and Hermione immediately dismissed them. A secret admirer? Her? Yeah right.

"Granger. If you're quite ready." Came Malfoy's drawling voice.

Hermione half turned her head to see him and William come to a stop behind her. She followed both sets of eyes as they moved from her to the rose and then back to her again. Embarrassed she opened the top drawer of her desk and dropped the flower inside.

"I'm ready. I think the best back story is to stick as close to the truth as possible. Sam Yaxley is incredibly intelligent. Intelligent enough to spot a lie. We'll tell him the truth. That you're an Auror looking to get your Uncle out of Azkaban. It was only when you started working here that you realised underground groups such as his existed. Accompany that with the fact that getting your Uncle acquitted the legal way is taking too long, is too costly and pretty much no-one cares. Tell them you want to act as a double agent. You'll be an invaluable source for them. Even if they're wary of you, which they will be, they'll still let you in. Got it?"

William nodded.

"If you have any questions feel free to ask."

"Thanks I will." William smiled before walking off.

She and Malfoy watched him go and she knew what he was thinking.

"He'll be alright Malfoy."

There was silence for the briefest moment. "Of course he'll be alright Granger. He's on my team." And with that he walked away.

Hermione would have rolled her eyes at the arrogance if she knew he didn't have any reason to act so.

Malfoy's team was the best in the department. It rankled Harry a ridiculous amount. It rankled Hermione a ridiculous amount when a rankled Harry would use her as "his shoulder to take his annoyance at Draco out on". He couldn't use Pansy after all. She would have hit him and then he'd probably have to arrest her. It wouldn't be good for their relationship.

**_A coral rose represents "good luck"_**

"So how's William getting on? Did Yaxley buy the lie?" Hermione asked Malfoy.

Malfoy took a sip of water and nodded. "Just like you said he would."

"Just like the P.O's said he would." Hermione corrected.

Malfoy took another sip of water.

"Have you come up with Kingsley's plan yet?" he asked.

"I'm still working on it. It needs perfecting."

There was a moment's silence as the two of them carried on working. It was broken by a loud gurgle from Hermione's stomach. She closed her eyes and prayed that Malfoy hadn't heard it.

"Hungry Granger?"

Damn it.

Deciding the best way would be to play this cool, Hermione looked up and stared straight into his amused eyes.

"It's late. And I missed lunch." All this was accompanied by a breezy wave.

Hermione waited to see if he would accept the breeziness.

His eyes crinkled even more deeply in the corners.

Damn it.

"Well, it looks like we're the only ones left." Draco said as he looked around. "Let's go and grab something to eat."

Hermione sat up straighter in her chair. "Oh no Malfoy. It's fine. I'll be heading home soon anyway."

"And you'll still have to make dinner when you get home."

"I've got left overs from yesterday. Cannelloni. Mmmm."

What possessed her to make that noise Hermione would never know.

"Why do you still call me Malfoy?" Malfoy asked.

Hermione stared at him. She didn't quite know how to respond. He actually seemed serious.

"I-I don't know. You call me Granger." She replied defensively.

Malfoy nodded his head. "Because you call me Malfoy."

"I didn't think we had that relationship." Hermione admitted.

"We work together. We're polite acquaintances."

"I know."

"Just like you are with everyone else in the department. You call everyone else by their first name."

He sounded genuinely puzzled. Hermione was surprised. She had never given the fact she called him Malfoy any thought whereas he obviously had.

"I didn't think you wanted me to call you by your first name. After everything in Hogwarts-" Hermione let her voice trail away and for the next few seconds she just stared at him as he stared at her.

"I'm going to get something to eat. Would you like to join me Hermione?"

Hermione breathed in as she battled a moment's hesitation. "Yes Draco. I think I'd like that." She breathed out.

They went to a local café in Diagon Alley. A place that she never thought Malfoy- Draco would ever have stepped into. All in all it was a nice hour. They stuck to the safe topics, which meant that her break up with Ron was avoided at all costs but she had a feeling that even if it wasn't, Draco wouldn't have asked her about it.

It felt nice.

ooo

The next morning there were fewer stares as she made her way from the Apparation Point to the elevator to the Auror Department to her station.

When she got there she saw a rose in the pot Teddy had made her to hold her quills.

Smiling, she forwent the wand movements she knew she should carry out and picked the flower out of the pot.

It was then that she remembered the last rose she had been given. Opening her top desk drawer she took out the coral coloured rose and fingered its petals. They were withered and curled. It had been six days after all. Putting it together with the latest rose she smiled before moving to get her book out of her bag. The light pink rose was joined by two other blooms.

**_A yellow rose represents "new relationships" and "friendship" _**

"Hey thanks for coming!" Harry greeted Hermione as she stepped through the Floo.

She immediately waved his words away. "Don't be silly. I'm happy to be here. I can't wait to see Pansy's face. You know she doesn't like surprises. She's going to kill you."

"Oh please. She won't touch me. She loves me too much."

Hermione smiled. "You hope."

Harry smiled a knowing smile and Hermione felt happy that her friend had found such happiness. "I know."

"Where do you want me to put her present and the flowers?" she asked Harry.

"Oh here. I'll take them." Harry said as he moved to relieve her of the load. "You look great." Harry said as he saw her dress from behind the large bundle of flowers.

Hermione blushed and smiled a smile of female satisfaction. "Thank you. You look good too."

She'd bought the dress when she'd been dating Ron. To be honest she had bought it because she knew Ron would like it. Once they'd broken up she'd forgotten she'd even had it. After all, her dinners had moved from glitzy restaurants to keep up with Ron's image of a young Quidditch player to meals for one on her sofa with Crookshanks cuddled up next to her. Tonight she'd looked into the designated dress area of her closet and this is what had been hanging first on the railing.

She'd debated long and hard over whether to wear it tonight. In the end she'd decided to go for it for two reasons.

Firstly she'd bought the dress to wear and if she didn't wear it here when the situation called for it then only Merlin knew when she would get the chance again.

Secondly a small, very small part of her wanted to rub Ron's face in it. She wanted to turn up looking beautiful. She wanted to show him that supermodel Lavender wasn't the only one who could look good.

Now that she was here she wanted to hex herself for thinking so foolishly and then rapidly Floo back home so she could change into a dress she'd worn before. Something comfortable and safe.

Taking in a deep breath she realised it was too late to be having second thoughts and she walked forward towards the low mumbles of conversation she could hear in the adjacent room.

Harry called her back. "I thought I should warn you. Ron and Lavender are here."

"I expected them to be."

Harry walked over to her before his arm reached out to rub her arm soothingly. Oh Merlin. Harry's sympathetic face was never followed by anything good and she prepared herself.

"They're engaged Mione. He proposed yesterday night so the story hasn't broken in the Prophet yet. I wanted to tell you before you walked in there."

Merlin's balls. Hermione was struck still. Just over a month ago they'd broken up and he was proposing to her already. She and Ron had been together for three years.

As she walked into the room she felt like she was in a dream. The voices and people were all warbled together and she couldn't distinguish anyone's face.

That ended when her gaze landed on Ron and Lavender. They were standing in the middle of the room, glasses of champagne in their hands looking like the perfect golden couple.

Oh Merlin, she wanted to sway up to them and offer her congratulations as if they meant nothing to her. She wanted to say something witty yet cutting but her mind had gone blank. Why hadn't she thought up something before coming here?

Damn it.

And then her vision was blocked by black. No she didn't faint. She looked up to see a rather dapper looking Draco gazing down at her in concern.

In a loud voice that she knew he had done on purpose he spoke. "Hermione. You look beautiful." He extended out an arm for her to take.

She smiled at him widely to show her gratitude before she latched on. He stood where he was for a moment longer so she could take in a deep breath before he shifted to her side. The image he portrayed was perfectly clear to see. Even though it wasn't true it was what she desperately needed to get through the evening.

She and Draco were united. They were together. And did that piss off a few people.

Hermione knew she shouldn't have felt such satisfaction but she did. Thanks to Draco it didn't matter if she didn't have a witty sarcastic comment ready on the tip of her tongue. He'd allowed her to do that very thing whilst coming off as the classy mature one. Which is what she was.

ooo

"So I had fun yesterday evening." Draco said as he paused next to her desk.

Hermione looked up and smiled at him. "Me too." She replied. "And thank you again for what you did. I know you didn't have to but if you hadn't have been there- I actually don't know what I would have done."

"I live to serve." He drawled but Hermione caught the twinkling glint in his eyes and she laughed.

"That you do." She replied.

This time it was his turn to laugh. "As much as I love to seek out your company I was sent here for a reason. Kingsley wants to see you."

"He's in his office?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah."

Hermione stood up and with one last smile she walked over to his office.

When she returned there was a rose on her seat. She picked it up and sighed. She had no clue who might be leaving the flowers. It had been over a month now and they still hadn't revealed themselves.

She knew who she wanted it to be but the likelihood of that was absolutely zero. And anyway, the flowers had started appearing well before they'd become friends. Sighing again, she placed it with the others.

**_An orange rose represents "the desire to move a relationship beyond friendship"_**

Hermione had been so engrossed in her work that she was slightly scared when Draco tapped her shoulder. It was with surprise that she realised the department was deserted save the two of them.

"What time is it?" she asked him.

"Late. Time to leave."

Hermione rubbed her suddenly gritty eyes and suppressed a yawn. "I didn't realise it was so late. I'm tired." She stated.

"You need to take better care of yourself Granger." Draco stated sternly.

"Yes Mum." Hermione laughed.

Draco merely ignored her. Hermione briefly considered telling him that he she was a big girl and she didn't need him to wait for her whilst she packed her work up but she kept her mouth shut. If he wanted to wait for her then she would let him. She liked it.

She charmed her papers into her bag before putting on her coat. Bending down she made to reach her bag when she saw Draco had already picked it up and was holding it out for her. She smiled at him as she took it and the two of them walked towards the elevator.

When the doors pinged shut they fell into a comfortable silence. At least it was a comfortable silence for Hermione. Draco seemed to be fidgeting unusually next to her, shuffling from one foot to another. She glanced at him in amusement but she didn't say anything in case she embarrassed him. Maybe he needed to go to the loo?

When the doors opened to reveal the Ministry's Atrium she thought she heard Draco sigh from beside her.

"Are you okay?" she asked him.

"I'm fine." He answered in a stronger tone than she thought he meant to. His apologetic smile confirmed her suspicions.

"Well I'll see you tomorrow okay." She told him and she began walking towards the Apparation points expecting him to walk in the opposite direction towards the Floo fireplaces like usual.

"Hermione." Draco called out. "Would you like to go out?"

Hermione was puzzled. "Today? It's really late. I just want to fall into bed."

"Not today."

"I'm free for lunch tomorrow." Hermione thought as she mentally went through her day. There was her meeting with Kingsley, the follow up on how William was getting on-

"Not lunch. Dinner. A date dinner."

Hermione was snapped out of her thoughts. Damn it. Was she imaging it or had she really heard him ask her out on a date? She wanted to say yes but what if he hadn't actually asked her and she said yes like an idiot.

Oh Merlin. What to do? What to do?

She saw a look on uncertainty pass over Draco's face and she immediately blurted out a word.

"Yes?" she asked before holding her breath to see what his response would be.

Two seconds later Draco smiled and Hermione felt herself slump in relief. Oh thank Merlin. And then she started smiling so widely her cheeks started tingling in pain. She was getting giddy and she wanted to be really girly and jump up and down.

"Great well I'll see you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow." Hermione whispered breathlessly.

The two shared another smile and look before they were whisked home.

Hermione landed in her apartment and immediately dropped her bag to the floor. Allowing herself a moment to carry out her suppressed actions she didn't see Crookshanks waddle up to her bag and paw the hidden rose in between her purse, book and receipts.

Hermione would only find her latest rose the next morning.

**_A lavender rose represents "romance" and "appreciation"_**

Hermione finished her last bite of cheesecake before relaxing in her chair. Her eyes once again ran around the restaurant Draco had picked for their date. It was so elegant. She'd never been here before and she never would have dared step in to get dinner by herself.

"Enjoy it?" Draco asked amusingly from the other end of their small table for two. It was so small that with his long legs, Hermione had to sit in a stiff position so her legs wouldn't brush against his. The two times it had happened she'd blushed a ridiculous amount at the inviting look that entered Draco's eyes.

A blush which she was now repeating. They'd ordered a slice of dessert to share between them only apart from Draco's initial bite; she'd probably eaten the rest of it herself. She would have been even more embarrassed if Draco hadn't clearly shifted the plate closer to her when he'd seen how much she was enjoying it.

"It was lovely." Hermione replied.

Draco chuckled. "Good. I'm glad."

The two fell into silence and Hermione purposefully shifted her eyes away from his. She didn't know why she felt so self conscious, after all it wasn't the first time she and Draco had eaten dinner together but the fact that they were on a date seemed to have changed the dynamic of their relationship. Hermione didn't the mind the change but Draco was so hard to read that she couldn't determine if he was happy about it. Yes he was the one who had asked her out yesterday evening but there were a million reasons why he could have changed his mind.

1. Kingsley disapproved of departmental relationships. Whilst Draco was a Field Operative and she was an Intelligence Operative who very rarely went directly into the path of danger, subconsciously she could come up with plans or ideas that would keep him safe rather than get the job done.

2. He could have realized that they were better of sticking to friendship.

3. He could have asked her out in a moment of madness without really thinking about it

4. He would realize that-

"Are you ready to leave?"

Draco's question snapped her out of her mental ramblings and she nodded. Looking down she saw that he'd already paid for their dinner.

She stood up and the two of them walked over to get their coats and her bag. Once they'd stepped out into Diagon Alley the cold December air hit them hard and Hermione shivered slightly.

"Come on. Let's get out of the cold." Draco said as he took hold of Hermione's elbow and apparated them to the door outside of her flat.

"I had a good time tonight." Draco said and Hermione turned to face him in relief.

"I did too." She replied as she smiled up at him.

There was silence for a moment as Draco made a weird head bobbing movement before he spoke. "Well I suppose I'll see you bright and early tomorrow. Are you free for lunch?" he asked her.

Hermione nodded her head eagerly before she caught herself and said "Yes" somewhat less embarrassingly.

"Okay then."

"Okay then." Hermione repeated.

There was another moment of heavy silence before Hermione broke it by opening the door and walking into her flat. She turned around one last time. "Good night." She said.

"Good night? Honestly Granger, didn't Weasel know anything. It's customary to kiss your date good-bye."

Hermione's eyebrows rose into her hair before she let out a burst of laughter. Draco's offended look only made her laugh harder.

"A lady never kisses on the first date." She told him.

"What kind of silly rule is that?" Draco demanded.

Hermione laughed again. "It's a Muggle thing Draco. I'll see you tomorrow." She said as she started to close the door.

Draco quickly spoke before she shut the door completely. "Lunch tomorrow is a date." He stated unnecessarily.

Hermione smiled. "Good night Draco." She said as she shut the door before she quickly pressed herself up against it to look through the peephole.

She had to suppress her laughter so Draco didn't know she was looking at him. He was starting dumbfounded at the door before he eventually shook his head and apparated away.

ooo

The next morning Hermione chose what to wear a little more carefully than usual. When she reached work and saw the rose on her desk she smiled in relief at knowing her suspicions had been correct. The rose was the same one that had been on their table the night before, she was sure of it.

She decided to keep it out instead of putting it in her book. She wanted to look at it until their next date in a few hours.

**_A white rose represents "innocence" and "purity" _**

Hermione knew that Draco was standing behind her but she pretended indifference and waited to see what he would do. When he swooped down and attached his lips to her neck she was so startled that she jolted her chair. Her chair moved backwards, crushing his toe and her hands pushed at the desk causing a few of her papers to fall off the other side.

"Draco, we're at work." She admonished lightly as she ignored his childish howling over his foot.

When he saw that she wasn't about to kiss his wounds better anytime soon, he dropped the act and started a new one.

"I know." He rumbled. "It's just you and me. All alone." He leaned in and lightly kissed her lips.

They'd been dating for nearly four months and Hermione had never been so thankful that Ron had cheated on her. If he hadn't then she would have probably still been with him and she would never have known how happy Draco made her.

She was falling in love and Hermione knew that she shouldn't be. It was only four months after all and she knew how dangerous her feelings were. She liked spending time with Draco and she knew he enjoyed spending time with her but it was still a little too early to be saying those three words. She didn't want to ruin what they had.

Draco leaned forward again and his tongue tickled the corner of her lips as he sought entrance. She tried to deny him but as always she ended up giving in. His tongue stroked hers and she let herself lean against his body.

Indulging herself for a minute she eventually pulled back.

"Right, dinner. My house." Draco commanded before he wrapped her up in his arms and apparated them away.

Hermione didn't have a chance to get her bearings before Draco's lips were back on hers again.

"Dinner." Hermione mumbled as Draco pulled his head back to let her breathe.

"Later." He growled before re-starting his ministrations.

Suffice to say, it was much much later that Hermione managed to get some food into her belly. It was also suffice to say that her cheeks would be permanently stained red every time she remembered just how Draco had fed her and off her.

ooo

The next morning Hermione woke up and immediately reached out an arm to see if Draco was still lying next to her. When her hand encountered an empty space, she dragged her arm upwards to his pillow so she could drag it towards her.

Her actions were halted when she felt smooth petals underneath her fingertips. Drowsily turning around, she cracked open her eyes to make sure she wasn't imagining things. Picking up the rose she smelt its heady fragrance and laid it back down next to her.

Smiling, she fingered the stem until she fell back into a blissful sleep.

**_A yellow rose with red tips represents "falling in love"_**

Hermione was woken up when her wand started wailing an alarm and emitting red sparks. Dazed she stared at the sparkles for a moment before she realized what they meant and she rushed out of bed and pulled on her robes.

Grabbing the wand which silenced at her touch, she immediately apparated to the Ministry.

When the doors to Level 5 opened she was met with chaos. Loud panicked conversations were taking place and people were rushing about. She hurried forward to her own desk and didn't even manage to get her words out before Kingsley's charmed voice boomed across the department.

"Meeting room. Now."

Hermione grabbed a quill and spare parchment before rushing to the room. As she went she kept an eye out for Draco but his blonde head was nowhere to be seen. Hermione reassured herself that he would be in the meeting but when Kingsley entered and shut the door, Hermione felt her heart drop to her stomach as she eyed Draco's empty chair.

Where was he?

"Azkaban was attacked half an hour ago. We just received word from the guards. Group A and Group B were working together like I'd suspected. So far Yaxley's cell has been infiltrated. He was seen disappearing with a Portkey. Our priority is stopping the escape of any further prisoners. Auror Granger?" Kinglsey turned towards her.

She immediately waved her wand and the plans she and her team had drawn up in case a situation like this occurred, appeared in front of her.

"Where's William?" she asked Kingsley. It was likely that he would still be disguised as Part of Group B until the Auror's arrived on the scene. She wanted to make sure he was kept safe.

"Auror Rookwood's body was found fifteen minutes ago. Sam Yaxley discovered he was double crossing him and ordered his men to attack him at home."

Oh Merlin. Hermione had to force herself to take in a deep breath. William had been the newest member of their team. He was the most enthusiastic, always wanting to show the rest of the Aurors that he could play in their league, despite not having their experience. This was his first mission.

_"He'll be alright Malfoy." _

_"Of course he'll be alright Granger. He's on my team."_

Hermione remembered the exchange with Draco and she closed her eyes. He would take this badly. He'd been William's mentor after all.

"Auror Granger?" she head Kingsley voice.

Snapping open her eyes she forced herself to swallow the lump in her throat and explain the strategies she'd come up with to counteract the attack.

It didn't take very long and she didn't need to repeat anything. It was with grim determination that the heads of the F.O stations listened to her and nodded once when she asked them if they'd understood.

No-one wasted a second before standing and making their way out of the room to get ready. Hermione grabbed Harry as he passed.

"Where's Draco?" she asked urgently. "Why isn't he here?"

Harry's face fell into a sympathetic look and Hermione's stomach flipped uncomfortably.

"He's already at Azkaban. When he saw William's body he apparated out."

Oh Merlin. "But he doesn't know the plan!" Hermione stated loudly.

"He'll be okay Hermione." Harry said soothingly. But they both knew he was lying. Draco was one Auror against a team of over 20 assailants. The stupid stupid man. Why couldn't he have waited a few more minutes?

"Hermione I have to go." Harry said tightly as he pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head.

"Be careful." She managed to choke out.

"I will. Pansy's staying with Daphne for the weekend. Tell her I love her." Harry said as he made his way to the door. When he reached it he turned around one last time. "Draco's good at his job Mione. He runs the best station remember? He'll be okay."

And then he disappeared.

Hermione nodded numbly before walking out of the room and taking her place in the chaos once more.

After the War she'd never wanted to see another battlefield again which was why she'd applied to run the Intelligence Station. Now she wished more than anything that she could apparate to Azkaban, find Draco and make sure he wasn't hurt. She wouldn't carry out her actions- she knew that her being there would cause needless distraction but damn it, she needed to do something.

But there was nothing. Like the rest of her team, her part in this was over for the time being. She sat down at her desk, opened the book in her drawer and fingered the pressed roses.

She hadn't told him how much he had meant to her. She'd been scared...and stupid.

Merlin she hadn't even got him to admit that he had been the one to send her the roses.

She fingered a coloured rose and remembered.

_"So are you going to tell me how long you've wanted to ask me out for then? The first rose appeared on my desk the day after I broke up with Ron." Hermione asked Draco. _

_She saw his lips curl into a smile before he masked his face into one of nonchalance. _

_"Roses? What roses? If someone's been sending you roses then I think they need to be shown that you aren't available. A few snogs at work should put them straight." _

_Hermione whacked him lightly on the stomach. "You really aren't going to admit it?" she asked as she laid her head on his shoulder. _

_He'd ignored her question and steered the topic to the Prophet's front page. It showed Ron and Lavender's engagement party. _

_The next day a beautiful rose had appeared in her book alongside the others she'd received. _

**_A blue rose represents "mystery"_**

It was an agonizing three and a half hours later when the first trickle of Auror's apparated back to the department. A bloodied but alert Harry was one of them. Hermione instantly stood up from her chair and her cramped legs crumbled beneath her. She only remained upright because she'd leant on her desk.

Ignoring the pain in her thigh from the desk's corner she watched Harry make his way over to her.

"You're hurt. Are you okay?" she asked him as she ran her fingers over the gash on his forehead.

"It's fine."

"Draco?" Hermione asked quietly.

"He's in St Mungo's Hermione. You should go there now."

"Oh Merlin." Hermione breathed out and she slumped as her head began to swim.

"Come on, I'll take you." Harry said.

Hermione took his outstretched hand numbly and when she next opened her eyes she was at the hospital.

"He's in there." Harry told her as he nodded to a door. "Will you be okay whilst I get my head taken care off?"

Hermione nodded and waved him off. She watched him walk away into the crowds before turning to face the door. She hesitated, preparing herself for what she might see.

In her head she began praying even though she wasn't religious. "Oh please Merlin, let him be okay. Please. Please. Please." She whispered under her breath.

Finding her Gryffindor courage she opened the door and stepped inside. Her eyes landed on Draco's battered and bruised body lying on the bed.

She stumbled up to him and reached out an arm but she was scared to touch him in case she hurt him.

"Draco?" she whispered.

There was no movement.

"Draco?" she whispered hoarsely and louder.

Hermione paused and held her breath. Had he shifted and moaned quietly or was she imagining it?

Another whimper.

Hermione let out a relieved sob before sitting down in the chair next to his bed. She slipped her hand lightly into one of his taking care not to squeeze it.

When she didn't squeeze he lightly tightened his hold.

"Oh Merlin. I'm here." She said as she held his hand a little stronger.

"Mione." He croaked out.

"I'm here. You're going to be okay. You better be okay." She told him.

She watched his cheek twitch and she assumed he'd tried to smile. His head shifted towards her and Hermione ran her fingers through his hair.

"You scared me. What did you think you were doing? You could have been killed. Why didn't you wait?" she asked him.

"William." He croaked again.

"I know. I'm so sorry Draco."

He didn't say anything but she wiped away the lone tear that fell from the side of his eye.

"Does it hurt anywhere?" she asked him.

"No."

"Can you open your eyes?" she asked hesitantly. He'd yet to even crack them open a little. She needed to see him looking back at her. And only then could she believe that he would be okay.

"I have something for you." She whispered as she dug into her pocket.

Draco's right eye opened minutely and Hermione moved the rose in his eyesight. This time he did manage to smile and Hermione lifted his hand so she could kiss his palm.

She laid the rose on the table next to his bed and let its sweet smell waft over to the two of them.

She wasn't scared anymore and neither was she stupid. Never again would she hesitate to tell Draco what she felt about him.

**_A red rose represents "beauty", "desire", "courage" and "respect" _**

**_More importantly, a red rose represents "love"_**

* * *

_Author's Note: I've had this idea in my head for ages and yet everytime I sat down to write it, nothing would come out. And then yesterday night I was doing something else and this just blurted forth from my mind. I very nearly turned it into a sad ending with Draco dying and Hermione standing at his grave with a black rose but I promised you guys some fluff so here it is! I hoped you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed FINALLY writing it! Please review and let me know what you thought. Until next time, Curiositykils_


	15. Fruit of his loins

**Fruit of his loins  
**

**412 words**

**Rating K****  
**

* * *

Draco Malfoy couldn't sleep. Why you ask? It was because his wife had shooed him from their marital bed.

She'd _shooed_ him.

Never before had any woman ever shooed him. That was of course until his wife.

See Draco Malfoy had a particular position he liked to sleep in. In fact, he could rarely fall asleep unless he was in this particular position.

What is that position you ask?

Draco Malfoy liked to sleep on his left side with his right arm tucked around his wife's lovely body, right palm cupping her lovely breast.

On the occasion that his wife was PMSing and her breasts were sore, he liked resting his head against her stomach so she could finger his hair and lull him to sleep.

Only now he couldn't do that either.

Why you ask?

It was because his wife had gotten knocked up and was currently carrying the fruit of his loins. And Draco Malfoy knew the correct word was loins because his wife had taken great pains to correct him this afternoon when he'd accidentally said "looms".

He'd tried the position he liked to fall asleep in. His wife had kicked him away. His shin was still throbbing.

And so he'd try the second position. It was all going well. He'd rested his head against his wife's round stomach and her fingers had just started massaging his head.

And then the fruit of his loins had delivered a swift kick to his head.

The fruit of his loins really didn't like him. The fruit of his loins wasn't even born yet and his wife had already turned him into a Mummy's boy.

He'd poked his wife's stomach back. That would teach the fruit of his loins a lesson.

His wife had proceeded to kick him in the shins again. That had been followed by a shoo from her mouth.

A shoo! Unbelievable.

He'd been banished from their marital bed and so here he was, sleeping on this ridiculous couch that his wife had liked and he'd bought to indulge her because she'd just told him that she was carrying the fruit of his loins.

Well- if he had known the fruit of his loins would turn out to be a kicking Mummy's boy he would have bought the couch that he'd liked.

Shifting to his left side Draco Malfoy grudgingly closed his eyes.

The fruit of his loins better be worth it when his wife eventually popped it out.

* * *

_Author's Note: Not my best work I know but I don't think it's my worst. Fluff is called for before the next chapter of angst comes your way. Until next time, Curiositykils_


	16. Revenge Part I

**Revenge  
**

**999 words**

**Rating M****  
**

* * *

Hermione knew this moment might come. She'd prepared herself for the inevitability. She'd always thought that she would be strong enough to not break down.

Except that's exactly what she was doing. Breaking down.

She could feel the heat of Blaise's body behind her. As he tightened the ropes around her wrists.

She could feel the sobs choking in her throat behind the cloth that was gagging her.

The tears were freely falling. Some soaking into her blindfold. Some not.

She tried to speak. Tried to reason. But her words were muffled and her throat burnt at her attempts.

She couldn't breathe. The small slit Blaise had left between the blindfold and gag was big enough for her nostrils but she still couldn't breathe.

"Blaise. Please." She tried to say again.

Her head dropped forward as it swam.

There was another tug at her wrists and Hermione winced as the sensitive skin chafed against the thick rope.

She felt Blaise's hands move to her hair and she stiffened as he carelessly untied her gag. Strands of curly brown hair were ripped from her head at his angry movements.

The gag fell from around Hermione's lips and she gasped in air. The chokes that were previously muffled now seemed to echo around the room she was in.

"Blaise. Please." She repeated.

When there was no answer Hermione let out another sob.

"Blaise!" she pleaded.

"Don't try bargaining with me Granger. There's nothing you can say."

"Please don't do this. Daphne wouldn't have wanted you to do this." She beseeched.

There was a harsh intake of breath before Blaise's hate filled voice angrily spoke against her cheek.

"Don't you dare say her name. You have no right to say her name."

"You know she wouldn't have wanted you to do this." Hermione ignored him.

"Well seeing how she's fucking dead Granger, I don't see how any of us knows what she would have wanted."

"She was trying to get you away from this life!" Hermione tried to reason.

"Key word trying. Except she didn't succeed did she? Because of you." Blaise spat out.

Hermione had no reply to that and so Blaise continued. "If you had just given us the Order's protection then she would still be with me. She died because of you."

More tears trickled down Hermione's cold cheeks. She knew why Blaise felt this way.

He and Daphne had come to seek protection from the Order two months ago. There'd been a meeting to decide whether the Order should comply with their request.

Hermione knew that Daphne wanted escape from the Death Eaters but she knew that Blaise was a knife's edge from teetering to the other side. He would follow whoever offered him the best deal. All he cared about was keeping Daphne safe. And so until he could prove his alliance to the Order, they decided to only offer Daphne protection.

Daphne decided that if Blaise couldn't be with her in the safe house the Order were willing to provide for her then she didn't want their help.

Despite the Order and Blaise's best efforts to convince her otherwise.

Four days later she'd been murdered.

"I tried to help her."

There was another tug on her wrists and Hermione felt as if her shoulders were being pulled out of their sockets.

"Well you obviously didn't try hard enough. I know the deciding vote fell on you. If you had just said yes then she would still fucking be here."

His angry exhales were the only thing between the two of them for the next few seconds.

"What are you going to do with me?" she asked him hesitantly.

"You're going to feel every ounce of pain that Daphne felt." He replied calmly.

"Y-You're going to Crucio me?"

"Oh no Granger. I'm not going to do anything to you. You see a few days ago I was approached by an old housemate."

An old housemate? Who? Hermione's mind blindly ran through a list of Slytherin's.

"He offered me a deal. I got the bastard who killed Daphne and in exchange, I give him you. To do with as he pleases. And I don't think using the Cruciatus curse is the only thing on his mind. He promised me he would do everything to you that was done to her."

Blaise moved his head until Hermione felt his sharp stubble grazing her cheek.

"Daphne was broken when I found her. She'd been slashed with a knife. She'd been touched. The fucking bastard touched her. I want you to feel every single thing she felt. I want you to beg for mercy knowing that it will never come."

Hermione couldn't breathe again. "Please!" she cried out as she struggled uselessly against her bonds.

She felt Blaise move away from her and she frantically twisted her head in a sightless effort to locate him.

"Blaise please. You don't want to do this. I know you don't."

Her panicked words were met by retreating footsteps and another sob choked out.

She didn't sense anyone standing in front of her until she felt cold fingers rub against her throat.

Her head reeled back from the touch but she could only move so far away. The fingertips found her again as they softly slid up and down her neck, circling around her frantic pulse.

She twisted her head from side to side. Her motions were suspended when a tight fist twisted in her hair and painfully pulled.

"Come now Granger. I know how you love my touch. You used to beg me for it remember? Of course that was before you finished using me for information and threw me to the wolves."

Hermione froze. Her mind denied the truth that was so evident. "D-Draco?" she hoarsely whispered.

It couldn't be. Please Merlin let it not be him.

The blindfold disappeared from her eyes and her gaze landed on a sight she wished she'd never see again.

Cold steel eyes.

"Hello love. Miss me?"

* * *

_Author's Note: I would like to thank and dedicate this chapter to everyone who wished me luck. So how did you find this oneshot. I decided to go with Dark Draco. Think I pulled it off? _

_Author's Note 2: To 777 who left an anonymous review for this chapter. I think your review is utterly disgusting. It's people like you who put off potential authors from uploading their stories for others to read. Saying that I'm an f***ing horrible author who should go and f*** myself is not what I consider as constructive criticism and telling me that anonymously is not only cowardly but down right pathetic. All I can say or do is report your review but honestly- grow up.  
_


	17. Rut

**Rut  
**

**212 words**

**Rating K****  
**

* * *

Hermione lay awake in her bed and studied the ceiling.

Was it supposed to be like this?

They'd only be married for two years. Surely the honeymoon period wasn't over already? Surely they could survive a rut.

She breathed in and exhaled deeply before turning her body to face her husband.

"Draco? Are you awake?" she whispered quietly.

"Yes." He answered back softly.

Hermione didn't say anything for a few seconds.

"Are you happy?" she finally asked him, peering widely into the darkness so she could make out his expression.

He didn't reply for a moment before wearily giving his answer. "No. Are you?"

"No."

Their admission settled between them. Hermione felt Draco shift on his side. The two stared at each other.

"I love you." He said.

"I love you too." Hermione replied. She was scared. They would get through this wouldn't they?

Draco must have seen her worry as he lifted his arm. "Come here."

Hermione instantly scooted forward, breathing in his warm scent. Draco's arm fell back around her waist. He rubbed up and down soothingly before stopping.

The two Malfoy's slipped into sleep, their bodies entwined. The next morning they would work on getting their marriage back on track.

They would get through this. They loved each other.

* * *

_Author's Note: Thank you for the unbelievable response I got for the last chapter. Maybe I should write Dark Draco more often since he appears to be a hit! This idea was in my head but i didn't like it that much which is why I've written the bare minimum to get it out of my head! Until next time, Curiositykils._


	18. New Years Eve

**New Years Eve**

**2522 words**

**Rating K****  
**

* * *

Hermione Granger sat on the uncomfortable stool at the bar and she internally sighed. Outwardly her cheeks were beginning to pain from the fake smile she'd plastered over her face for the last hour and half.

Glancing at her watch to see how long she'd been here, the minute hand clicked to the twenty three position. Internally she sighed again.

She shouldn't be this uncomfortable. And she wasn't talking about the bar stool that had probably been designed by a chauvinistic man who hadn't been thinking of the size of the average woman's derriere when he'd designed them.

These were her _friends._ She'd lived with them, laughed with them, nearly _died_ with them. Didn't that automatically mean that a bond or connection of some sort tied them to her for eternity?

When they'd left Hogwarts she'd never thought that she would feel so…awkward.

She took another sip of the brightly coloured drink of the night- not because she was thirsty but because it gave her something to do. It also gave her cheeks a much needed reprieve.

Unfortunately it was a short five seconds. The smile plastered itself once again and Hermione looked around the penthouse suite of the Wizarding Hotel where the party was being held.

She saw people enjoying themselves, smiling with actual humor and their eyes twinkling with anticipation. Hermione wasn't naïve enough to believe it was from the excitement in the air as the hour hand neared twelve. The drink of the night seemed to be flowing freely and it kicked quite a punch.

Hermione had never been much of a drinker. She had the odd glass of wine when she was at a dinner from work but other than that she was a complete lightweight. Which was why she was still on her first glass of her drink and she was making sure she took sips in between eating copious amounts of the snacks plated next to her.

What had possessed her to attend tonight?

Hermione sighed again. She already knew the answer. She'd come tonight- even when she didn't want to- because she was scared. Scared that if she didn't accept at least one of the invitations that her old friends extended to her then they would simply stop asking.

And then she would be friendless. Utterly alone.

Her work at St Mungo's was time consuming and working to be the best in her field had led people to call her a workaholic.

Hermione simply smiled blankly at them when they labeled her that. For some reason it hurt that they didn't think she had anything else in her life apart from her job but it hurt even more because she knew how true they were.

She was so scared that her friends would give up on inviting her to be a part of their life that she had put on her best dress and attended Harry's party.

And here she was. Sitting by herself at the bar as she watched her friends have fun around her.

Hermione didn't think she'd felt so alone.

She was twenty-five and she had no friends anymore.

When had that happened? Hermione mused to herself as she took another small sip of the fruity cocktail. Yes she had turned down many invitations to go clubbing with Ginny or for dinners out with Harry and Ron but she'd been so busy. And when she wasn't busy she felt so tired all the time all she wanted to do was curl in bed with Crookshanks and go to sleep.

The last time that she'd visited her parents her mother had given her that look.

Hermione knew that look. She'd seen her aunts give it to their daughters.

It was a look that asked when Hermione was going to settle down and get married. Her parents were traditional. They hated the fact that she lived alone and they refused to move to France and retire unless they knew Hermione was properly settled.

Hermione hated and loved that word. Settled.

When her mother had given her that look she'd nearly screamed out on how she could possibly get settled when she worked 24/7, had no boyfriend, no prospect of ever meeting one since she had no social life and she'd never been remotely attracted to anyone in the past eight years.

That was what scared her the most. When she was curled up in bed at night she'd often wondered if there was something wrong with her. Her mind had thrown up reasons from possible physical imperfections to emotional ones.

She was twenty-five and she'd only been kissed by two men.

No not men. Boys.

Victor's kiss when she was fourteen had been horribly awkward. She'd seen him moving forward and had known what his intention was. Only something had made her tilt her head to the right. It meant his kiss had sloppily land on the corner of her mouth, mostly on her cheek. It was made all the more mortifying when Victor's tongue had immediately popped out and licked her cheek. He'd obviously been thinking to deepen the kiss that would have landed on her mouth if she hadn't moved.

Hermione's cheeks had still been blushing when she'd rejoined Harry and Ron to say goodbye to their peers from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons.

Her second kiss? Well that had been with Ron. Only Hermione wasn't sure if that could be called a kiss. It had been more of a hard mashing together of lips. She was pretty sure she had accidentally bitten Ron's lip in the harshness of her actions. Her mortification had come after the Battle had been won and she'd seen Ron wiping blood of his lower lip.

Oh Merlin the memory still had the power to make Hermione cringe.

What did a woman have to do to get the kiss of her dreams? One that would tingle till her toes and leave her buzzing and wanting more. One like in the books she secretly read. One like in the old movies she'd watched with her mother.

Only there was no chance of that ever happening was there? Hermione would end up an old spinster living alone in her apartment still dreaming of the perfect man with his perfect kiss.

That was another part of this night that she hated. It was bad enough that years were passing but not having someone to kiss at midnight made her look so pitiable it wasn't even laughable.

Not that she wanted to kiss someone at midnight.

She'd decided to give that time honored tradition a miss by conveniently slipping out a few minutes before midnight when everyone else was at the height of their excitement. She had no use for another mortifying kiss that would surely dampen her low spirits further.

"Hey Mione. Having fun?" Harry asked as he bounded up to the bar next to her and immediately caught the barman's attention with a well practiced flourish of his hand.

"Sure. It's great. Thanks for inviting me." She told him.

Harry turned and gave her smile. "It's good that you managed to drag yourself from work for once. We haven't seen you in nearly eight months!"

Hermione's stomach turned at the reminder at how long it had been and she simply gave Harry a smile before she watched him walk back into the crowd.

She sighed again as she remembered the brief coffee they'd had together the last time they'd bumped into each other at a café in Diagon Alley.

Hermione had been startled to see him and she had been shocked by how ill at ease she felt in his company. When their coffee's had been drained and Harry had apparated away, Hermione had vowed to keep in touch with him more.

And so she'd started owling him frequently. It wasn't long before their correspondence had fizzled out and all that had been left were formal how are you's and unfeeling I miss you's.

Hermione took another sip and fiddled with the watch on her wrist so she could see how much longer she would need to stay here. She was surprised when she'd saw how much time had passed when she had been busy with her inner ramblings. Another ten minutes and she could easily make her quick getaway.

She took another sip of her drink but this time in her excitement it was a large gulp. The alcohol burned down her throat and she coughed lightly.

"That disgusting drink would cause anyone to cough in disgust." Said a voice from behind her.

It was a voice Hermione had not heard in a long time. She didn't need to turn in her chair before she saw Malfoy move to stand next to her. He ordered two firewhiskey's and when they were placed in front of him, he downed one in a gulp before knocking down the other.

Hermione stared at him with a mixture of shock and awe. The barman immediately replaced the glasses with full ones and this time Malfoy picked up one before sliding the second glass over to Hermione.

"Malfoy?" she said in acknowledgement. It unfortunately came out in a questioning tone.

"Granger." He replied back before he turned to his side.

Hermione felt his gaze sweep over her and she sat up straight in her seat.

"Hello. How are you?" she asked politely before shutting her mouth. Merlin, she'd nearly rambled off on how much she'd missed him. Had it been so long since she'd seen someone at this party that the ceremonial words were just automatically spewing out of her mouth without her thinking about them.

"I'm good Granger. And how have you been?" he asked back.

"I've been good too."

Malfoy's eyebrows rose at her answer as if he knew he was lying but she didn't offer an alternative response. Instead he took another sip of his drink.

"You're at a party and you look bored out of your mind. Not to mention you've been sitting here by yourself for an hour constantly checking the time. Getting antsy as midnight draws nearer?"

Hermione was shocked at his words. He'd evidently been watching her for a long time and she hadn't even felt his stare. She must have been more involved with her thoughts than she'd previously thought. She felt embarrassed as Malfoy scrutinized her closely and she had no clue on what to say in response. Instead she changed the subject.

"I didn't know you and Harry were such close friends." She said.

Malfoy took another sip before shrugging his shoulders non-commitedly. "We're not close friends but he has extended a few invitations for dinners and such which I've taken him up on. We do work together after all. You seem to have been conspicuously absent from all of them. Dissent amongst the Golden Trio?"

Hermione stiffened as his Hogwarts nickname for them blew painful memories of their former camaraderie to the front of her mind.

"I've been busy is all." She said tightly before she twisted her body away from him slightly. Hopefully he would get the silent message.

He didn't.

When she made to reach for her drink- the drink she'd been sipping all night and not the Firewhiskey he'd half-pushed towards her- Malfoy plucked it up and settled it on the other side of him. He once again nudged the Firewhiskey to her.

"It's New Years Eve Granger. Celebrate for Merlin's sake. If that doesn't loosen you up then nothing will."

Hermione clenched her teeth at the implication that she needed to loosen up. Determined to show him up she closed her fingers around the glass and whilst looking into his eyes she took a large sip.

She'd never liked whiskey and as soon as the liquid touched her tongue she fought not to spit it back out again. Instead she forced her throat to swallow and she felt the liquor settle heavily in her stomach. It was a miracle that she hadn't coughed at the burn she'd felt. Maybe Merlin was finally looking down on her.

At Malfoy's impressed look she quietly reveled in her satisfaction.

"I'm impressed." He murmured quietly before once again knocking back his own glass.

Hermione felt she had to follow and so her glass quickly emptied too. Merlin had ten minutes past yet or not? She wanted to check the time but didn't want to do so in front of Malfoy after his comment.

"So Granger. You haven't gotten yourself shackled yet? I haven't seen a spread on your wedding across the front page of the Prophet. No-one caught your eye yet?"

"I don't see how that's any of your business Malfoy." Hermione replied defensively.

Malfoy smirked. "I'll take that as a no."

Hermione's teeth grinded together. What in Merlin's name was the time? She wanted to go home.

Malfoy's hand banged against the bar and two seconds later another amber coloured glass was in Hermione's eyesight. She bought it to her lips just so that she wouldn't need to talk to him.

"One minute left!" someone shouted excitedly from the crowd.

A minute? It was time for Hermione to make a hasty exit. She slipped off her bar stool and turned towards Malfoy so she could grab her coat and bag.

The level of noise in room had heightened as people bustled around to get into couples.

"Leaving already Granger? It's nearly midnight. Don't want to see in the New Year with your best friends?"

Hermione didn't know what to say. She fervently wished that Malfoy had never come over to her tonight and struck conversation. If he hadn't then she would have been safely tucked in bed right now. It was all his fault.

"I'm tired."

"I'm offended."

His blunt statement made Hermione pause in her actions and she met his gaze. She was about to answer when she heard the room start the countdown to twelve and the lights dimmed.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six." The crowd counted down.

Hurriedly putting on her coat she hastily spewed out a poor apology.

"I didn't mean to offend you." She murmured.

"Five, four, three-"

Her hand reached into her pocket to surround her wand so she could apparate away.

She saw Malfoy step into her personal space. "Good. You can make it up to me."

And then he kissed her.

Hermione was struck still and her eyes widened.

His lips had found her own. Definitely an up on her first kiss.

His lips were soft. Definitely an up on her second kiss.

His tongue stroked her bottom lip and Hermione would later tell herself that her mind was befuddled because her own lips parted at his request.

She vaguely registered that he tasted of mint and firewhiskey. Hermione liked it. Her eyes started to shut and that was when he pulled away.

She quickly re-opened her gaze to see Malfoy staring at her before he smirked.

"Happy new year Granger." He said before he walked away from her and into the crowd of well-wishers.

Hermione watched him go, knees locked in place.

She couldn't find it in her to move.

Her toes were tingling.

* * *

_Author's Note: Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it. Until next time, Curiositykils. _


	19. Rakes and Spinsters

**Rakes and Spinsters  
**

**3311 words**

**Rating K****  
**

* * *

**_22nd April, 1815_**

* * *

Hermione Granger was no fool.

Which was more than could be said for some of the young ladies in attendance tonight.

From her designated corner, Hermione had a clear view of Lady Greengrass's ballroom and it was with amused eyes that she watched the young ladies and their mothers fluttering eyes and fans at the young bachelors present.

At twenty-four, it had been a whole three years since she'd firmly settled into the designated spinster corner of every event she accepted to attend. Which wasn't many but even she wouldn't have agreed to miss out on tonight.

There was excitement in the air. Why you ask? It was all due to a certain gentlemen who would be making an appearance tonight.

The ton had missed the gossip that the Malfoy family brought with them. At nineteen when Hermione had entered into her first London season in a bid to snare a husband (delayed a year due to her having to enter into a year's mourning after the death of her father); all that anyone whispered about was the Malfoy family's decision to move to France.

Reasons for their sudden move had ranged from what Hermione thought to be reasonable to downright preposterous.

There had been mundane whispers that Malfoy senior (Viscount Malfoy to be precise) had been having some problems with his bones and the doctor had prescribed some warm sun.

There had been scandalous whispers that Malfoy junior (the next would be Viscount Malfoy to be precise) had been caught in a compromising situation with a married Isabella Yaxley and he was being forced to flee the country to avoid being called out for a duel by Lord Yaxley.

Hermione had discarded that rumor as a false fantasy thought up by the old biddies in the ton but even she couldn't deny the fact that Mister Malfoy had been conspicuously absent during the Summer months of the Season. This coupled which his notorious rakish antics that had spread even to Hermione's quiet corner of the world had meant doubt lingered in the minds of many.

During the remainder of her pitiable two London seasons, information which was freely interchangeable with gossip, on the Malfoy family had been sparse. It was for that reason that their impending attendance tonight had caused such a stir.

Husband Hunting Mama's as they were called in Hermione's spinster corner, were warning their innocent daughters or not so innocent in the case of Miss Flint, to stay away from the rake that was Draco Malfoy. In privacy, or in as much privacy as Lady Greengrass's ballroom allowed when it was filled to the brim with members of the ton, Hermione thought she heard many mothers advising their daughters on how to catch Mister Malfoy's eye.

Rake he may be but all could be forgiven when his future title and wealth came into question.

Hermione sipped her third glass of lemonade. Lady Greengrass was known to be notoriously stingy with her refreshments, providing such tiny glasses that were useless with the amount in attendance tonight. The temperature of the ballroom was reaching sweltering heights despite all available doors being thrown open to allow in the refreshing night air.

From beside her she saw Lady Macmillan whack a young gentleman who was blocking her view with her walking cane. At seventy, Melania Macmillan was a ruthless old crone with a caustic tongue if you got onto her wrong side and sometimes even if you didn't.

"When are they going to walk in? I'm getting bored watching these young ninnies practicing their pouts." She said.

Hermione had loved Lady Macmillan ever since she had likened Hermione to a withered blade of grass when she had been forced to wear an ungodly shade of green during her first season.

Hermione did not like green. She did not look good in green. But fashion dictated she buy a dress in green and wear it to Baron Prewett's annual musicale. At the time she had been struck still by Lady Macmillan's comment but after overcoming her shock, she couldn't help but give an unfashionable burst of laughter.

During the next two seasons when Hermione was being put on the shelf so to speak, she always received at least two personal invitations from Lady Macmillan for afternoon tea.

When Hermione had turned twenty-two and was considered to be firmly on the shelf and a fully fledged spinster, she and Lady Macmillan had become firm friends. Hermione found nights were a lot more enjoyable when she was seated next to Lady Macmillan, equally due to her honest unflattering opinions and the fact that frequent use of her cane meant Hermione could spend the evening with a clear view to carry out her people watching.

Hermione liked people watching. Coming from a small town in Shrewsbury she was always fascinated when she came to London. People acted differently in these streets than when they were in the boring winding lanes of their hometowns.

Hermione was fully committed to watching the disastrous dance occurring between Harry and the young Miss Astoria Greengrass that was only taking place due to propriety's sake when she heard a hush fall across the room. Her eyes were instantly pulled away to the ballroom doors and her eyes landed on the three blond haired figures that stood under the swirling arches.

"My goodness he'll have the ladies in a flutter, I vow it." Lady Macmillan said.

Hermione merely murmured her agreement, her gaze still fixated on the younger Malfoy as he walked into the ballroom and greeted his acquaintances.

She couldn't remember much of Draco Malfoy. Since he had been absent during her first season she had probably only seen him briefly in their younger years. She could vaguely remember a little boy peering at her when she accompanied her father into London for business. At the time she had only been five or six and Hermione wasn't even sure if it was Malfoy that she was thinking of or it had been someone else and she was simply slotting him into her memories.

That little boy was definitely not the man she was looking at now. His hair was cut short, which went against London fashion but Hermione was sure that tomorrow morning there would be many a young bachelor making their way to the barber's for a close cut. His clothes were of the finest quality, something even Hermione could see from her corner. Velvet it seemed. His gaze was cool and assessing as it took in the surroundings, his eyes flickering over the many young ladies present before dismissing them and moving onto the next.

His presence was overpowering.

Hermione mused if there was a young lady present who could stand up to such a man. Former rake's did supposedly make the best husbands but for it to get to that stage one of the young ladies here would have to catch his eye and keep it.

As the guests of honour made their way further into the room, the level of din reached its prior level.

"Well, that was distinctly uneventful. I was half expecting Lord Yaxley to pull out his wand." Lady Macmillan commented in an annoyed tone.

"You would have thought it was distinctly uneventful even if Lord Yaxley had pulled out his wand." Hermione replied.

Lady Macmillan sniffed and turned away but Hermione caught the smile on her lips. Draining the last of her lemonade Hermione sighed. She really didn't want to make her way to the refreshment table yet again so she could relieve her ever present thirst.

"Oh Lud would you look at that. Honoria Longbottom is positively addled if she thinks her daughter stands a chance at snaring Draco Malfoy for herself."

Hermione turned her attention from her empty glass to the couple in question. Honoria Longbottom was a thin girl with brown hair and brown eyes. The fullness of her lips stopped her from being seen as anything more than passably pretty in the eyes of the ton. Quite like Hermione. She turned towards Lady Macmillan without taking offence. Like she'd stated earlier, Hermione was no fool.

"I've had more intelligent conversation with Mr. Tulbridge."

Hermione raised her eyebrows in doubt at that comment. Since Mr. Tulbridge was a cat Hermione wondered just how much intelligence Lady Macmillan could make out from his purrs and meows.

"Intelligence isn't an agreeable quality in a wife." Hermione said in reply.

"More's the pity."

Hermione smiled. "I'm going to get some more lemonade. Would you like anything?" Hermione asked her as she stood from her chair.

"If only you had more than one hand, then you could carry a few glasses at once and we wouldn't need to keep running up and down to the refreshment table."

Hermione kept quiet at the fact that Lady Macmillan hadn't needed to do any running at all.

"But alas, one tiny glass will have to do for the time being."

Hermione smiled as she picked up both glasses and walked around the edge of the room to the table. She had just collected their replacements and was making her way back when a body stepped into her path.

She looked up into glittering steel eyes.

"Oh." she said somewhat ineloquently.

An amused twitch of the lips was Hermione's only response. His reaction brought her back into the present and remembering the title his family carried, she awkwardly curtsied as best she could when she was flustered and carefully carrying two glasses of lemonade.

He gave her a nod in acknowledgment. "I don't believe we've been introduced. Draco Malfoy."

"Hermione Granger."

Hermione saw recognition flash across his eyes.

"So it seems we have been introduced."

"Once, many years ago."

"Forgive me for having not remembered. It is unusual that I forget meeting the loveliest young lady in the room."

Hermione gritted her teeth at his reply. She could deal with charm. She hated lies. And Draco Malfoy had just crossed the line.

"Like I said, it was many years ago." She said the words in a tone which she thought would call an end to their conversation.

She made a step to walk around him when he spoke again.

"I would like to call upon you for a dance later on in the evening. Think of it as an apology."

Hermione was instantly horrified. Him calling upon her for a dance would be seen as unseemly in the eyes of the ton. He was here for the young girls. Not to entertain a spinster. Hermione had no wish to become the ton's gossip.

"I assure you that is not necessary." Hermione blurted out.

She saw him raise an eyebrow at her horrified expression and she quickly moved to smooth over her words.

"I'm sure you have many young ladies with whom you wish to dance with. Please don't feel like you need to waste a dance on me."

Hermione didn't often get asked to dance. Apart from Harry and Ron asking her so they could get a break from the Husband Hunting Mama's and their daughters, it was considered outlandish for a young bachelor to ask anyone from the spinster corner to dance.

It would cause a hushed uproar if she was seen dancing with Draco Malfoy in his first season in London after so many years away.

"I do have many young ladies that I wish to _dance_ with." His eyes flashed with the word dance and even though Hermione did not understand why he'd emphasized that word so strongly, she felt uncomfortable. "And I believe I just asked one."

"But-" Hermione didn't know what to say. She was sure he knew what would happen if they danced but he didn't even seem to care that they would be the talk of the town.

"But?"

Hermione hesitated. As much as she wanted to simply stomp her foot in frustration and walk away she couldn't. Polite society dictated she handle this delicately.

"It has been a long time since we met so I understand that you may not be able to determine my age but I'm sure it's apparent that I am no longer in my first flush of youth."

"You are too harsh on yourself."

"My lord I am twenty-four years old and my age is very apparent."

"Why yes, you are positively ancient." He replied with yet more amusement.

Hermione gritted her teeth. "I'm glad you've seen the light."

This time he didn't stop her when she stepped around him and made her way back to her corner. She caught sight of Lady Macmillan's face as she neared and she knew she was in for a conversation. The old lady missed nothing.

Hermione passed her a glass of lemonade before resuming her own seat.

"I believe I just saw you having a conversation with Malfoy junior."

"You saw correct." Hermione replied simply. If Lady Macmillan wanted gossip then she would have to drag it out of Hermione.

"Well?" Lady Macmillan demanded.

Hermione's lips twitched and she took a sip of lemonade to cover the action. "Well what?" she asked innocently.

"What did he say?"

"Not much. I believe he mistook me for someone else." Hermione replied truthfully.

"Who?" Lady Macmillan asked eagerly. Draco Malfoy was _seeking_ out a girl? This was incomprehensible.

"No-one particular. Just a young ninny."

She saw Lady Macmillan's raise her white eyebrows in surprise. Instead of exclaiming in astonishment, she got a look on her face that was enough to raise goose pimples on Hermione's arms. Lady Macmillan was planning something and that was never a good thing.

The band struck up a waltz and Hermione was drawn out of her thoughts on Lady Macmillan's deliberations. She turned her head back to the ballroom and watched as young bachelors walked over to collect the young ladies with whom they'd penciled in their names for the waltz on their dance cards.

When a velvet robed body broke her view she was forced to look up. From the corner of her eye she saw Lady Macmillan reach for her cane but even she hesitated when she saw who the blockage entailed.

"Miss Granger."

"Lord Malfoy." Hermione replied tentatively.

"I believe I have this dance."

Hermione froze and her head immediately turned towards Lady Macmillan. The two looked at each other before Hermione quickly turned her head back to Malfoy.

"My Lord, this is your first dance of the evening." she stated.

"I am aware of that fact."

"You can't dance it with me!" Hermione stressed. Merlin did this man know nothing of the ton's rules?

"And why not?"

Hermione stopped herself from spluttering. "It is improper!" she practically hissed out. A glance around the ballroom told her that she was the subject of every pair of eyes in the room.

"Why is it improper?" He asked even though Hermione knew that he was well aware of his answer.

"It just is! Would you please go and ask another young lady to dance. I believe Lady Greengrass held this ball in an attempt to bring her daughter's to your attention."

"Then it is most unfortunate that they didn't catch my attention."

"Lord Malfoy, I don't pretend to understand why you feel the need to be the talk of the town but I refuse to let you ruin my reputation in your efforts. I have no desire to dance with a self-confessed rak-"

Hermione was stopped mid-sentence when Malfoy grabbed her wrist and pulled her upright.

"What do you think you are doing?" she asked incredulously whilst trying to keep a blank expression over her face. It was not easy.

"I believe I'm preventing you from making a grievous error Miss Granger. You were about to say something that I'm sure you would soon regret."

"I don't believe I was." Hermione snapped back.

"I'm sure I can convince you otherwise." And with that he practically dragged her onto the dance floor.

Hermione turned back to Lady Macmillan but the old lady was simply smiling at the two of them.

Hermione had no choice but to acquiesce.

She was forced to dutifully follow Malfoy and take his arm and shoulder amongst the other dancing couples, some of whom were openly gawking at the two of them in mystery. Hermione mollified herself on the fact that she was particularly terrible at the waltz and she hoped Draco Malfoy was wearing very thin boots.

"Now that wasn't so difficult was it?" Malfoy asked rhetorically.

Hermione didn't answer, instead she took great pains to _accidentally_ step on his foot. It took every ounce of effort to not smile in triumph at his wince.

"I have very thick boots Miss Granger."

"I'm glad. I think you'll find yourself in need of them. I am such a terrible dancer." Hermione said in self-deprecation.

She watched Lord Malfoy's eyes darken and had to stop herself from blurting out an apology. It was his fault that she was stepping on his toes after all.

Hermione felt the fingers from the hand on her back dig into her skin that much more. When he tried to move their bodies closer, probably in an effort to get retribution, Hermione held stead-fast and the six inches that was socially acceptable remained between their bodies.

"Why don't you tell me what it is I have done to make you hate me so?"

Hermione looked up into his eyes in surprise. Merlin he was awfully direct and blunt. "I do not hate you my Lord. I do not even know you."

"That doesn't seem to have stopped you from forming an unsavory opinion of my character."

Hermione didn't know how to respond. "I apologise if I have made you think so."

"Liar."

Hermione's eyes widened. "I beg your pardon."

Malfoy leaned forward and repeated his word. Hermione instantly recoiled away from him.

"My Lord, please, people are staring."

"People stare at me wherever I go. It's nothing unusual."

Hermione was struck still at his blasé attitude. "You may not care that the eyes of the ton are fixated on you but I certainly do." She accompanied her words with another step on his foot.

"Alas, since you will be spending more time in my company it is something that I'm afraid you will have to get used to."

This time the step on Malfoy's foot was accidental. In fact, Hermione was sure that if it hadn't been for Malfoy's arms around her she would have fallen into a heap right that minute.

"I beg your pardon. After this dance, you and I will not be associating again, believe me in that."

Once again he leaned in closer. His breath whispered across her cheeks and Hermione shivered. From the flash of his eyes Hermione knew he had seen her shiver and she stiffened.

"You Miss Granger just issued a most delectable challenge. And if there's one thing you should know about rakes, it's that we love challenges."

The music reached its crescendo and finished to a smattering of applause.

Malfoy took her elbow. "I believe it's my duty to accompany you back to your seat."

Hermione bristled. Suddenly he knew what his duties were? She snatched her arm out of his hold without caring on how it would look to their audience.

"I believe I can make my own way." She said angrily. She bobbled into an angry curtsey and had to wait until he gave her a nod of his head before she could walk back to Lady Macmillan's questions.

She had made it but a few steps when she heard him give out a large burst of laughter.

"I will see you soon Miss Granger." He called out loudly.

Whispers exploded around her but she didn't bother turning around.

Hermione Granger was no fool. And yet it seemed Draco Malfoy had set out to make her one.

* * *

_Author's Note: I've always wanted to write an oneshot set in the Regency era but was always scared in case it wasn't good. But here it is and whether it's good or bad, I'm sure you'll be able to tell me! Thank you for reading and until next time, Curiositykils. _


	20. Revenge Part II

**Revenge Part II**

**Sequel to Revenge Part I  
**

**764 words**

**Rating M**

* * *

_For Ceylon_

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Hermione couldn't breathe. She was paralyzed. Body frozen in time. Eyes stuck. Stuck on his cold steel eyes.

Her body's need to breathe caused a painful drag of air into her lungs.

"D-Draco?" she asked numbly again.

He didn't reply. His face didn't change. There was no hint of any new emotion. Simply that smirk on his lips. A smirk that hinted at the cruelty to come.

"Y-You're alive?" she gasped.

Draco gave a cold bark of laughter before he moved to step around her. Hermione stiffened at his movements. She couldn't see him anymore. Her head careened around but he stayed out of sight.

"Come now Granger. I'm sure you can come up with something better than that."

His silky voice sounded as if he was stood right behind her. Fingers came to swirl patterns on her nape. Oh Merlin, he was.

Hermione shivered involuntarily, her head moving forward to get away from his fingers.

"Draco please." She pleaded. It came out a whisper.

"You knew very well that they wouldn't kill me." He continued smoothly, ignoring her entreaty. "I betrayed them Granger."

Hermione cried out as her hair was pulled back tightly.

"You remember what I told you on what happens to those foolish enough to betray them."

Hermione didn't know what to say. Her mind was racing and panic was beginning to overwhelm her thoughts.

He paused as if waiting for her response. Hermione realised that a moment too late and another frightened cry was wrenched from her throat as his fingers snared in her curls further.

"Do you remember? He asked strongly.

"Yes! I remember. Please."

Hermione froze as she felt Draco crouch down over her. His cheek grazed against hers. Once. Twice. And then he froze.

"I betrayed them for you love."

Hermione closed her eyes as his words swept over the two of them.

She tried to twist her head away from his lips. From the condemning words. His thin fingers moved to her cheek and dug in painfully, halting her movement.

"Draco. Please. You're hurting me."

His fingers dug in deeper.

"I'm hurting you? You don't know what pain is love."

"I didn't-"

"You didn't what? Know what you were doing? Know what they would do to me when they found out?"

Hermione let out another sob that she couldn't hold anymore. "I'm sorry."

The fingers in her hair pulled away. The heat from his body moved away. And all was silent.

_The end is coming. _

The words crept into Hermione's mind and she sobbed again. With renewed determination she scrabbled futilely against the rope binding her wrists.

Skin scraped and blood dripped to the cold floor.

After a few more seconds of pain, Hermione cried out before slumping in defeat. Her eyes stung with tears.

"Please. P-Please." She cried brokenly.

When she heard his footsteps move so he was back in front of her, Hermione squeezed her eyes shut. Inwardly she pleaded to Merlin, to God, to every deity she could think of to let her please get out of this.

She could faintly see a blurred hand reach forward. His wand touched the underside of her chin and her head was lifted by the thin piece of wood.

Hermione lifted her eyes and met his stare.

"I've waited for this moment for months. I've planned every hex. Every curse."

With each word he stepped closer until Hermione was forced to tilt her head as far back as she could to see his face.

His words were oddly mesmerizing. Hermione couldn't move her eyes away from his lips as they spoke her future.

"I've dreamt of every cut…Every kiss. Every cry from your _innocent_ lips." His fingers ghosted lightly over her face and Hermione closed her eyes.

"Oh M-Merlin." Hermione couldn't breathe again.

"I did promise Blaise after all. Quid pro quo. Tant pour tant."

Remembering Blaise's words Hermione broke down further. "P-Please. Please d-don't do this." she pleaded.

She shook her head desperately to clear her vision so she could see him without tears blinding her. She looked into his eyes and begged.

"I loved you then." Both his words and features were soft.

Hermione dragged in a breath as she felt hope stirring in her chest.

Then his eyes went cold. His touch went cold. "I don't plan on making the same mistake again."

And then he swooped down for the first brutal smashing of lips and Hermione screamed as she felt the accompanying cut.

Her cry echoed around the cold room. It went unanswered.

Draco Malfoy had begun his revenge on Hermione Granger.

* * *

_Author's Note: I really wasn't sure if it would be a good thing to write a sequel. In fact I was dead set on leaving well alone but then I wrote this last night and after much deliberation, here it is! I know dark Draco isn't everyone's cup of tea so sorry! Please review and let me know what you thought. Until next time, Curiositykils._


	21. Denial

**Denial  
**

**1149 words**

**Rating: K  
**

_

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_

Draco Malfoy paced the floor of Daphne's office.

Since he'd walked into her office thirty seconds ago, Daphne hadn't said anything to him apart from a startled hello as he'd barged in. Seeing the look on his face and the hunch in his shoulders, she had simply given him one glance before looking back down at the work in front of her, allowing him to pace uselessly in her office.

Draco was glad for the silence. It gave him a moment for his head to stop racing. Another thirty seconds later and when he didn't feel quite so sick, he stopped abruptly in his steps and turned to stare at the witch currently ignoring him.

"Did Pansy happen to mention something about her wedding?" he asked Daphne nervously. He was hoping to pull off a casual tone but he didn't think he'd succeeded.

Daphne raised her head and peered at the wizard in front of her. She knew what Draco was hedging at but she couldn't help but pretend to play dumb for a little while longer. She would consider it payback for him taking her husband out last weekend and getting him so drunk that he'd conveniently been unable to accompany her to Millicent's party.

"What do you mean?" she asked innocently.

"The wedding!" Draco stressed.

"It's on December the 24th. You are coming aren't you?" she asked.

Draco's grey eyes narrowed at her tone and he gave her a shrewd look. "You already know don't you?" he accused.

Daphne couldn't control the twitch to her lips. "What? That Pansy asked you to walk her down the aisle? She might have mentioned something to me."

Draco stared at Daphne's grin for a second before he swore under his breath. "What is she thinking? Why ask me? I can't do that. I'm not the right wizard. There has to be someone else. A relative or someone."

Draco watched Daphne raise an eyebrow. The action had always fascinated him. Hermione could do it too.

"You know as well as I do that Pansy doesn't have any family. She wants you to do it because she thinks of you as her brother."

And that was the problem. He'd never gotten emotionally involved with anyone before. Not even his mother. Yet somehow, after moving back to England a year ago, he'd somehow found himself with wizards he considered to be actual close friends and as for Daphne and Pansy- well he cared for them. And he didn't understand it one bit.

How in Merlin's balls had they managed to bury themselves inside him? Draco knew he shouldn't have agreed to all those dinners and outings.

"It can't be me." He repeated.

Daphne sighed. "It's what the bride wants. Are you going to tell her no?"

Draco glared at Daphne but said nothing. Tell Pansy no? Hardly. She might start crying or something. But why did she have to ask him? He'd never done something like this before.

"Do I have to say anything?" he asked nervously.

Daphne's lips gave another twitch. "No."

Draco sighed in relief. At least that was something. "She's old enough to walk herself." He muttered.

"That isn't the point and you know it."

"Fine. I'll do it." He agreed as if it was costing him the world. He knew well enough that he would never have been able to say no when Pansy had asked him.

To give her credit, Daphne didn't mock him as she normally would have done.

"Good." She said with a strong nod of her head. "I should also tell you that you're expected for Christmas dinner at my house this year. Blaise is cooking. Have you decided what you're getting Hermione?" she asked.

Draco hesitated. What he was getting Hermione? Because he would be spending Christmas with her. Because they were together- kind off. Did shagging mean they were together?

Draco tugged the neck of his robes as he felt the temperature of the room spike.

"You look like a wizard who's about to run off." Daphne remarked. "Want to tell me why?"

"I don't make a big deal about Christmas. I usually Floo over to see my mother in France for an hour before apparating somewhere warm."

"That sounds lonely."

Draco shrugged. "There are a lot of parties and women around." It was his world. Or at least the world he used to belong to. Now he wasn't so sure.

"It still sounds lonely."

Draco agreed but he shrugged off her comment.

"Don't think you can get out of spending Christmas with us this year. Harry is one of the best Auror's there is and he and Pansy aren't leaving for their honeymoon until the day after Christmas. I'll ask him to hunt you down and bring you back kicking and screaming if need be."

The temperature of the room seemed to spike again.

It wasn't so much spending Christmas with his friends that he was worried about. It was Hermione and the fact that he could easily picture himself spending Christmas day with her. Waking up with her and opening presents in front of her tree with her mangy cat eyeing him up hatefully. Draco would get her something green and lacy and after admonishing him for it, she would slip it on. It was too cozy a picture for him.

"No." he said as he stepped back.

Men, Daphne thought with a shake of her head. "Take a deep breath and calm down." She told Draco. "You're worried because you're falling in love with her and you haven't done that before. It's okay to go slow. After Weasley and Brown, I think Hermione would prefer that."

Draco didn't even manage to hear the rest of Daphne's words. He was still stuck on the falling in love bit. He didn't love Hermione. Their relationship wasn't like that. They'd agreed on the terms before they'd started shagging. He wanted sex and after the useless affiliation she'd had with the bastard Weasel, all Hermione had wanted was a no strings affair.

Draco didn't do love. Not him.

"I don't love her." He said flatly.

Daphne looked at him with a pitying expression. "It's okay if you do Draco."

"No! It's not. If that's what you all think then you're wrong. I don't love Hermione. I don't do love. Ever."

He spoke with such certainty that there was no room for doubt, Hermione thought as she paused outside Daphne's office. She had come to ask Daphne if she wanted to join her for lunch so she could gossip about her newly discovered feelings for Draco. All morning she had been floating in her own little blissful bubble, happy because she was in love.

Her bubble had just burst at his words.

She was in love with a man who obviously was never going to love her back.

What was she supposed to do now?

* * *

_Author's Note: Thank You for reading!_


	22. Acceptance

**Acceptance**

**Sequel to Denial  
**

**2631 words**

**Rating: T**

_

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_

Hermione didn't wait around to hear anymore. Draco's words made his feelings for her perfectly clear and Hermione scoffed at the pain she felt. Wasn't this the way it was supposed to be?

They'd both agreed in the beginning that there would be no feelings involved with their relationship. Only they'd slowly crept in and Hermione couldn't even pin point when she had started to see Draco as anything more than a sex buddy, only that she had.

He obviously didn't feel the same way.

Another wave of pain hit her and when Hermione felt the sting of tears in her eyes, she quickly apparated to her flat. Standing in the middle of her sitting room, she simply stared at the space.

It was with a startle that she realized just how long it had been since she had last been here. Nearly a week. Merlin, she hadn't even realized that she had practically moved into Draco's house.

Another thought hit her. Oh Merlin…Had Draco realized? Did he want her out?

Hermione fell onto her sofa as she critically went through a thousand memories of the two of them together. As far as she could tell, he hadn't said anything. Literally or subconsciously.

Then again, what did Hermione know on what Draco was thinking? A bubble of laughter erupted from her throat at the thought.

Hermione couldn't believe she was back here again. After everything she had gone through with Ron, she had vowed to herself that she wouldn't fall in love with the wrong man again. It was why she and Draco had started their ridiculous relationship. She had told herself that it was Draco Malfoy for Merlin's sake. She would never fall in love with him.

Hermione rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. She suddenly felt very tired considering it was only quarter past twelve.

What was she supposed to do now?

Hermione knew the answer before the question had finished playing out in her head. Draco was an amazing wizard. The time she spent in his company was wonderful and he would never purposefully hurt her- unlike Ron. And so she would continue their relationship and be grateful for the time they spent together. When he decided to end things, she would leave without causing a scene with her head held high. She would move on. And this time she would make sure that she didn't go falling in love with the wizard she was carrying out her rebound relationship with.

Taking the time to gather herself, she eventually apparated back to her office and went back to work.

The sense of loss continued to ache inside her, despite her numerous attempts to ignore it.

ooo

When Hermione apparated back to Draco's apartment that evening she found him waiting for her. Dinner was ready on the table and he was stood in front of the fireplace with two wine glasses in his hand. He looked both pleased that she was home and a little uncomfortable.

Hermione's heart twanged before she realized she had no business feeling what she feeling. Her romantic feelings turned to anger and in her head she demanded to know why he was being so damn romantic when he felt nothing for her? It wasn't fair. She needed to fall out of love with him and he was making it damn difficult. She debated telling him that she had heard what he had said in Daphne's office but when he held out a glass to her, all her anger melted away.

She walked over to him and took both glasses from his hand. Depositing them on the mantle behind him, she hugged him tightly. Draco's arms came to wrap around her waist and he squeezed for a moment before stepping back.

"Are you okay?" he asked her as he touched her cheek.

"Of course I am. Why?"

He studied her closely. "I don't know. There's just something-"

"I'm fine." Hermione said again with a forced smile. "Just tired."

Draco studied her for one more moment before he accepted her lie. Clasping her wine glass, Hermione walked over to the table.

"We can have an early night." Draco said as he sat down opposite her.

Hermione smiled at him gratefully. He might not love her but at least he cared.

ooo

Three days later Draco found himself knocking on the front door of Blaise's house. He looked over at the witch next to him and when she caught his eye, he smiled. Bringing his hand up to the small of her back, he rubbed twice. He wasn't sure if the action was to soothe the niggling feelings he'd been having recently or not. It wasn't panic- more like a faint feeling of worry.

Something was different with Hermione but he couldn't seem to pin point what. The time they spent together, in and out of bed was exactly the same it had been from when they had first started their relationship. He was probably imaging things. He'd told himself the same thing a dozen times but the worry didn't seem to completely disappear.

Draco was pulled out of his musings when the door opened to reveal Daphne. She had a bright smile on her face as she kissed Hermione and hugged Draco before she showed the two of them into the front room.

Seeing Harry and Pansy, Draco said hello before he took his place near the men as Hermione was huddled over to where Daphne and Pansy were sitting.

Idle chatter was exchanged for a few minutes before Daphne and Blaise shared a look. The two walked over to each other and their arms wound around each other before they faced their friends.

"So I'm sure you're wondering why we called you over at the last moment but we have something to tell you." Blaise said.

The two shared another look before a bright smile burst onto Daphne's face. "I'm pregnant!"

The revelation was followed by a moment of silence before the room was filled with shrieks from the women and laughter from them men.

As the women shared a girly hug, Draco walked over and slapped Blaise on the back.

"Congratulations."

Blaise smiled widely. "Thanks mate."

Draco was stopped from saying more when Harry came over to offer his own congratulations. For a moment, Draco simply studied the occupants of the room. His family. The words entered his head and swam around.

He looked at Hermione and saw the excitement on her face. She must have felt his stare because two seconds later she turned her head in his direction. Draco smiled at her. He wanted to walk over to her and hold her next to him.

"I want a baby now!" Pansy revealed loudly.

Draco glanced over to Harry. Whilst he looked shocked at the announcement, he didn't seem all too distressed about the idea.

He walked over to her and pulled her close. "Let's get the wedding over and done with first. Then we've got all honeymoon." He kissed her lightly on the lips.

Draco turned his gaze back to Hermione and noticed she was being careful not to look at him. His brow furrowed. Why was she avoiding his gaze? Did she not want children with him? Did she want children at all? Draco didn't have a clue, mainly because they'd never talked about things like that before. Most women wanted children. Did Hermione?

When Daphne noticed Draco's gaze she quickly shifted the conversation to another topic. It didn't stop his mind from pondering on the subject for that bit longer. He was grateful to Daphne because he knew eventually Hermione would be asked on when she wanted children. And since he was in a relationship with her, the natural assumption would be that he would be the father.

He was still thrown from Daphne's revelation that he was falling in love with Hermione to even begin to add kids to the cauldron.

Babies? He'd never imagined his life going down that path. He was terrified about the idea of marriage. He'd seen what love did and he'd vowed from when he was a teenager that he wouldn't let it control him like it had done his mother.

After everything Lucius had done to her, she still loved him.

Draco wouldn't go there. The price was too high.

Hermione laughed at something and his eyes flickered over to her. He wanted her and needed her. But love? It was impossible.

ooo

When Hermione finally apparated back home- no not home- back to Draco's house later that evening she knew that their time was up. She thought she could do this. Have the strength to carry on their relationship until Draco decided he didn't want it anymore but after seeing her friends tonight- she knew she couldn't do it anymore. It hurt too much.

When Draco apparated in after her, he turned to face her and made to pull her against him. Hermione resisted.

She took in a deep breath when she saw the puzzled look on Draco's face.

"I think I'm going to sleep at my place tonight."

Draco frowned. "Why?"

Hermione smiled before she raised a hand to touch his cheek. "I love you Draco."

Hermione knew she shouldn't have been hurt by the shock and panic in his eyes but she was. When he opened his mouth to say something, she immediately covered it with her fingers.

"Don't…say anything. I know what the arrangement was. I know I broke it but…I had to tell you. I don't expect you to say anything back. I just had to tell you."

Something in Draco's eyes flashed. Relief?

"We'll run into each other I know. Harry's wedding will be…difficult but hopefully it'll get easier after that. I don't regret loving you Draco. After Ron…I didn't think I'd be able to fall in love again but…" Hermione broke off. She didn't know what else to say.

Looking into Draco's eyes she raised herself on her toes and kissed his lips lightly. "You'll be a hard act to follow Draco Malfoy."

And then she apparated away. When she landed in the sitting room of her own flat she stupidly waited for a few seconds, half-expecting Draco to apparate in after her.

He didn't.

ooo

Four days later saw Draco pacing in Daphne's office again, only this time, Daphne and Pansy were staring at him disapprovingly.

He'd thought that Daphne wanted to talk to him about Pansy's wedding. He'd certainly hadn't been expecting their straight demand that they wanted to talk about Hermione.

Knowing he would have to face the two of them sometime, Draco stopped and turned to face them.

"Why?" he asked them.

"You're not together anymore."

"I know that." Draco said with an edge in his voice. "She wanted to leave so she left." Draco hadn't wanted her to leave but he couldn't exactly force her to stay could he?

"That's all you're going to say!" Pansy demanded.

"What do you want me to say?" He asked loudly.

"She told you that she loved you." Daphne stated calmly.

Draco's throat closed at the words.

"Let's go through this. She said she loved you and you said what?"

"Nothing."

Seeing the anger that was creeping onto even Daphne's face he hurried to defend himself. "She told me not to say anything!"

"And you listened to her!" Pansy yelled. "All wizards are stupid."

"She heard you last week. When you said that you wouldn't ever love her." Daphne said.

Draco looked at her numbly. "She wasn't there."

"She was standing outside the door."

Draco swore. He didn't want Hermione to have to have heard that. "I didn't ask her to love me." he said lamely.

"Damnit Draco. You so don't deserve her." Daphne finally exploded.

Draco couldn't agree with her words more.

He'd always told himself that he wouldn't fall in love. That he wouldn't risk it. But was it worth it? He had everything that he could ever want. But was it worth it without having Hermione next to him and sharing it with him. He wanted her. Wanted to share his life with her. He wanted her crabbiness in the mornings and her warmth in the evenings. He'd even take her mangy cat. The revelation shocked him.

"What in Merlin's name did I do?" he whispered to himself.

"Finally!" Pansy said as she threw her arms in the arm in a show of exhaustion.

"What do I do now?" Draco asked the two of them.

"That's not our problem." Daphne dismissed before she turned to face Pansy. "So did you sort the mess with the caterer?"

"Yes. Thank Merlin. He's agreed with the price and everyone will have the right food. Are you still okay to hold the flowers?"

"Oh yes. They'll arrive the night before correct?"

Draco watched them exchange useless chatter before he apparated out.

ooo

Draco watched Hermione walk up to the bench he was sitting on. He stood and waited for her to meet him. When he saw her burrow her head further into the scarf wrapped tightly around her neck, he mentally hexed himself for picking such a stupid place.

He had been hoping that if he asked her to meet him here, at the park where they'd first bumped into each other when he'd come back to England, she might be more agreeable and actually turn up.

As she came to a stop next to him, Draco didn't know how to start.

"You owled?" Hermione said. She wasn't sure what to expect. Draco had a weird look in his face. She wanted to hope but she knew better. His owl hadn't exactly said "Meet me at St James's Park. I love you. Without you life is not worth living."

"Thanks for coming."

Silence again. Hermione sighed in defeat as she felt another cold wind settle into her bones. She mentally began musing to see if she had left anything in his house by accident.

"I wasn't expecting you."

That snapped her out of her thoughts. "What? You asked me to come."

Draco shook his head. "Not here. I wasn't expecting you to come into my life. My bed yes but not my house, my thoughts…my heart."

Hermione froze. She was scared to breathe in case it broke Draco out of his daze. Internally, hope was beginning to spread over her chest. And then he did something that Hermione thought he would never do.

Dropping down on one knee, Draco pulled Hermione's gloved hands into his. "Hermione Granger, I love you. I'm so sorry that I didn't tell you when you said you loved me. I was an idiot. I didn't think I could love anyone but you…" Draco broke off and shook his head.

"I thought…" Hermione started to say as she blinked the tears from her eyes.

Draco saw them and stood back up. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he tugged her so she was leaning against him.

"I know. I'm so sorry." He whispered against her lips before he kissed her.

"I heard you that day. You said you would never love me." Hermione whispered back. She was happy that Draco was saying the words he was saying but at the same time she was scared.

Draco pulled back and looked into her eyes. "I panicked. Please forgive me. I'll do anything. Crookshanks can sleep in the bedroom if you want."

Hermione burst out laughing at his absurd suggestion and Draco kissed her again.

"You haven't said yes. Will you marry me?" he asked again.

Hermione smiled so widely her numb cheeks hurt in the cold. "Yes I'll marry you."

"Good. Now let's go home." Draco said.

Hermione smiled. She was in love with a man who loved her back.

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_Author's Note: You guys are all absolutely amazing. Not only did you leave wonderful reviews for the last chapter but you pushed Meus Contraho past the 100,000 hit mark. It's the first of my fics to do so and it is all down to you. It made for a very nice birthday present for me which is why I thought you deserved a present in return. I hope you enjoyed reading this oneshot and thank you all so much! Until next time, Curiositykils.  
_


	23. That Night

**That Night**

**3328 words**

**Rating: M  
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Hermione hadn't even fully stepped out of the boutique before the gaggle of faces and flashes descended onto her. She pulled back and was forced to look down at her feet as the cameras blinded her.

Gritting her teeth, she raised her right arm and tried to push a path between the bodies. Her hand sunk into the nearest wizard's pot belly and Hermione instantly retracted it. The belly rebounded back and prodded her side.

Disgusted, she tried to swipe at the camera in front of her face.

When she had decided to visit the boutique that she hadn't stepped foot in for six months, she had never imagined it would turn into such a nightmare. Hadn't the scandal been forgotten by now? Shouldn't it have been? It had been six months for Merlin's sake.

"Hermione!" They shouted. "Granger!" The others yelled. Hermione even thought she caught "Former Gryffindor Princess" from one of the vultures.

Merlin, their combined voices were deafening. Realising that she wasn't going to get anywhere, Hermione tried to step backwards and into the boutique. Only her back met a body. She had stepped too far out. They had formed a complete circle around her.

Hermione felt her heart jump to her throat in panic. Her wand was in her purse at her side but she couldn't even slide it off her shoulder without bumping and elbowing into a dozen bodies.

And then the questions started. "Hermione, what do you think of the news?"

Even as Hermione ignored their questions, her eyebrows knit together in confusion.

Why hadn't she spent her first day back in England at home so she could catch up on what the Prophet had been reporting on?

Why had she stupidly decided to show these people that she was strong and didn't care what they thought or wrote about her?

Why hadn't she just stayed in the haven that had been her parents beach house in Australia?

"Have you seen Ronald yet?" "Did he tell you about his plans?"

His plans? She'd had no contact with the Wizarding World in six months and she'd definitely had no contact with her friends. Correction, ex friends. She had lost them in one careless mistake.

Hermione lifted her head from its current position and twisted it around, searching futilely for a gap she could escape from. When she saw a hand hurtling towards her face, a yelp let out from her throat.

The hand stopped inches from her nose and Hermione pressed her hand against her rapidly beating chest. Eyes crossed as she tried to make out the headlines on the copy of the Prophet that was being held in her face, she nearly buckled as she made out the words.

Her eyes dropped to the picture under the loud bold words and Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat.

A proposal. Ron's proposal to Lavender. As she gasped in a breath, Hermione raised the back of her hand against her mouth to stifle her cry.

And all the time, the bloody cameras recorded her downfall. When a hand grabbed her wrist, Hermione jolted wildly. Uncaring of who she might be bumping into or elbowing, she pulled her purse from her shoulder and snapped it open.

At her movements, the swarm started buzzing. Sensing her impending escape, they pushed closer and snapped their cameras furiously in a bid to get one more picture.

Hermione felt the air vanish as they suffocated her.

ooo

Draco Malfoy watched the scene unfold from the opposite side of the street. He hadn't seen Hermione Granger in six months. Since that night in fact. As he watched the lowly peasants attack, bitter and angry feelings rose within him. Feelings that were directed at the prey and not the predators.

Too bad there were no War heroes around to save her, he thought wryly.

His grey eyes narrowed as the bodies shifted and he lost sight of her for a moment. A better wizard would have felt sorry for an old school colleague in Hermione's position. A better wizard would have done something to help.

But Draco was done feeling sorry for Hermione. He was done trying to help her. Not after what she'd done. Or more importantly, what she hadn't done.

There was another shift and Draco latched onto the lone figure. Even from where he was standing, he could see the tears gathering in her whiskey eyes. The trembling of her rosy lips.

She was rummaging in her bag. Searching for her wand no doubt. She must have found it as her arm started lifting out of the bag when the closest wizard jolted her. The sudden movement went through the surrounding crowd like a domino effect and came to a complete circle. Hermione was pushed again before she could regain her balance from the first shove and he saw her bag fall to the ground.

She quickly followed as she tried to stuff her useless bits and bobs back into their rightful place. The horde of cameras engulfed her little body.

And then she lifted her head. Her gaze went through the middle of a pair of pudgy legs and landed right on him. He saw the surprise register on her face. The plea in her eyes... And the following fall as she realized he wasn't going to answer it.

What did she expect? Draco thought angrily. That he would save her? He wasn't a Gryffindor. He was a Slytherin. Who would look after number one from here on out.

Hermione looked back down and concentrated on her previous task with a determined look on her face. When a witch came too close to her face, he saw her slam a hand into the camera before she pushed the witch away. Draco felt oddly proud even though he wanted her to feel the pain.

And then he realized he was missing the biggest opportunity.

What would the scavengers give to get a picture of the two of them together?

The first picture ever since the scandal six months ago?

He'd been in the Prophet for a good three months after that night but the furor had died down since Hermione had disappeared and Potter had announced a Mini Potter was on the way.

Draco didn't want to be in the Prophet again but the situation was simply too delicious to pass. He straightened from the shop doorway he had been leaning against and started to cross the road over to her.

The crowd dispersed and began dissaparating before he was halfway there. She'd gone and Draco smiled.

Where would the once beloved Gryffindor princess go when she was abhorred by most of the Wizarding World?

Six months ago he would have had trouble finding her. Now he knew exactly where she was heading. The only place she had left where there might be the slightest hope she wouldn't be turned away.

Wasn't it most delicious that he was a closer friend to the wizard in question then Hermione was? Draco apparated away with a smirk on his lips.

ooo

Hermione cast the scourgify charm on her face before she knocked on the front door of the house she'd only visited four times. A clean face, devoid of make-up was better than a face with runny mascara.

Hermione had never wished harder that she hadn't been in the public eye when she was younger. That way no-one would have cared about what she had done.

The door opening meant Hermione was pulled from her bubble of self pity.

"Hermione?"

"Blaise." Hermione tried to say with a friendly smile.

"What are you doing here?" he asked her with a confused tone.

Hermione tried to not let the tears wash over her eyes but she knew she failed terribly. "I'm sorry. I didn't know where else to go."

There was a moments pause as Blaise studied her face before he stepped back and held the door open for her. With a smile of gratitude, Hermione stepped into the hallway.

There was silence as Blaise led her to the kitchen. Hermione dropped into chair at the dining table and Blaise placed a glass of firewhiskey in front of her without asking. Hermione sent him another grateful smile as he sat on the chair opposite to her. She sipped the warm liquid and felt it settle into her stomach, giving her the Dutch courage she knew she would need.

"So you're back." Blaise stated unnecessarily.

Hermione tried for another smile. "I'm back." She said as she slipped a long curl behind her ear. She thanked Merlin that the impulsive haircut she'd got in her first week in Australia had grown out. She liked her long curls. They made great barriers.

There was another short silence which was only broken by a baby crying. Hermione whipped her head up and looked at Blaise before berating herself. Of course the baby would have been born by now. Padma had been five months pregnant when Hermione had left.

"If you'll excuse me." Blaise said as he stood and walked out of the room. He shut the kitchen door behind him and Hermione simply stared at it for a long while.

It was then that the pain began to bear down on her. Not the pain on what had happened minutes ago but the real pain of what had happened six months ago.

She and Ron had been the perfect couple. The Golden couple even, second to only Harry and Ginny. They were supposed to get married. Have children. They were already living together so it was naturally the next step. But for some reason, Hermione stopped being so excited at the prospect of becoming Mrs Ronald Weasley. She'd stopped being excited at the prospect of being in a relationship with Ron.

They'd argued before they'd left that evening. Hermione remembered that vividly. In fact she had used their argument as an excuse for what she'd done but really there was no excuse for her actions. She'd accepted that but seeing her mistake stood in front of her today. Smirking cruelly at her. That Hermione hadn't been expecting. She knew it was inevitable that she would see him again. But not in her first few hours.

Hermione remembered his cold smile at her circumstances and took another gulp of the amber liquid.

Where did she go now? She knew the headlines that would feature in tomorrow's Prophet.

Heartbreaker returns. Former Gryffindor Princess comes out of hiding. How will the Weasley War Hero take to seeing his betrayer?

Hermione sighed and drained her glass. The door opened and Blaise walked back into the room. He sat back down with a tired sigh and Hermione felt guilty for encroaching on him. There was another silence before Blaise broke it.

"So does Draco know that your back?" he asked quietly.

Hermione looked at him blankly.

"He's had to take the brun-"

"Please. I don't want to talk about Draco Malfoy right now. I can't." Hermione ended on a whisper.

Blaise looked like he didn't appreciate the shut down but he acquiesced none the less. Instead, he stood and refilled her glass.

"So where did you go? Australia was the rumour? It's been a long time. Why come back now?" Blaise asked.

Hermione didn't want to answer his questions but she supposed she owed it to him since she had just apparated at his front door.

"Yes Granger. Do tell us where you were hiding away."

Hermione's whole body froze as she heard the drawl from behind her. The next second saw her twisting rapidly in her chair and her eyes fell on the one wizard she had the displeasure of seeing once already today.

He was stood in the same position as he had been in the street at Diagon Alley. Leaning against the door jamb, arms crossed, legs crossed and that smirk plastered across his face.

Hermione itched to hex it off but she was too embarrassed. It was with a somersault in her stomach that she realised this was the first time they would actually be talking since that night.

"How did you apparate in?" Hermione asked stupidly before she berated herself. He was Blaise's best friend. Of course he would be free to come and go as he pleased.

"I'm the godfather to Blaise's daughter Granger. Does the position not entitle me to have free reign to her in case something happens?"

Hermione gritted her teeth and turned her back to him. She looked at Blaise to find him looking all too relieved that Draco was here. Traitor, she thought irrationally.

"Let me get you a drink." Blaise said.

Draco ignored him. "I'm more interested in hearing Granger's story." She heard him walk over to her and she froze as he walked past her before he took Blaise's chair.

Hermione watched him lounge back and stretch his legs out under the table. His slate eyes pierced hers.

"I saw the front page of today's Prophet. You caught it didn't you?" he asked mockingly. "Looks like the happy couple are to be married. I'm sure they'll be popping out poor red-headed brats any day now."

His words stung. Hermione wanted children. Desperately. She worked hard to swallow the lump stuck in her throat.

"At least Brown has decent hair. Imagine a baby with a bush of red hair on his head."

Hermione had imagined that baby many times before. At the beginning of her and Ron's relationship, she had longed for that baby.

"I think I truly hate you." She whispered.

"That's impossible. The Gryffindor Princess _hating_ someone. You're all that's good and _pure_ in this world. You couldn't actually hate someone could you? Oh wait, I forget. You're no longer the Gryffindor Princess."

"Stop it Draco." Blaise said from behind her.

Draco ignored him. "Do you even remember that night? I don't think you were as drunk as I'm sure you made out to be Granger."

"I was!" Hermione defended loudly.

"Draco." Blaise warned sharply.

A baby's cry rang out.

"Go and tend to your daughter Blaise." Draco said.

She heard Blaise shuffle unsurely behind her before he sighed. "Play nice." He said as he closed the door behind them.

"I was enjoying a nice drink, celebrating my friend's party when you locked eyes with me from across the room. You followed me when I went to get a breath of fresh air. You put your delightful lips on mine. You kissed me first. You took off my robes. Undid the buttons on my shirt."

"Stop!" Hermione cried out. She didn't want to remember this. She didn't want to relive it again.

She was surprised that he actually listened. There was silence and Hermione could feel Draco mocking her.

"I could have been trampled to death today. Thanks for staring and doing nothing. You're the coward you've always been."

Hermione saw his eyes harden.

"A coward Granger? I wasn't the Gryffindor who ran away for six months because the people who had once worshipped her, changed their minds. In case you've forgotten, I was the one left alone to deal with the fallout with your decision to live a little and fuck an ex Death Eater."

Hermione flinched at his crude words. "We didn't fuck." She whispered quietly.

"Well we certainly weren't making love." Draco said sarcastically. "I was banging you against the wall of the rose garden."

Hermione closed her eyes at the mortifying memory.

Draco didn't relent. "I was whispering dirty words in your ear and by the hot little noises you were making in mine…you were loving every second of it. Or at least you were until we were caught. Then you couldn't wait to get my cock out of you."

"Do you have to be so disgusting?" Hermione asked him angrily.

"Oh don't go getting all innocent on me now." Draco sneered.

ooo

When she said nothing, Draco felt himself grow even angrier.

"You couldn't apparate away quick enough. I can't tell you how fun it was dealing with Weasley and Potter when I was naked with your knickers in my hand. You think I should have helped you today? You should have been around to fucking help me then. I was the only one around to take the heat for something that wasn't even my decision in the first place."

He watched her close her eyes again. Was she feeling guilty? Good, Draco thought. After the mess he'd been left in, she deserved to feel remorse.

"I'm sorry." She whispered.

The anger in Draco's chest exploded and he banged loudly on the table with a fist. "Don't tell me you're fucking sorry Granger!"

She opened her eyes and stared at him with hate. "Then what? Huh? What do you want me to say?" she demanded.

Draco turned away and kept his mouth firmly shut. He heard her scoff in disgust. He felt disgusted at himself right now too.

"I'm leaving." She said as she dragged her chair back loudly and stood.

Draco turned to face her and a derisive smirk twisted his lips. "Of course you are. It's what you do after all."

The two of them studied each other silently for five seconds before Granger made good on her word and apparated out.

Draco simply stared at the position she'd vanished from.

ooo

Blaise put Maya back down in her cot before making his way downstairs. He took in a bracing breath before he opened the door. His gaze immediately fell to the lone figure in the room. He was guzzling back Blaise's finest bottle of firewhiskey as if it was cheap wine from the back streets of Diagon Alley.

"Hermione left?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

Draco nodded. "Don't worry, you'll probably see her in another six months." He said with a wry smile.

Blaise walked over to the table and took Hermione's seat. Pulling the bottle towards him, he poured some liquid into a glass before pushing the bottle back to Draco.

He studied his friend. He and Draco had met in the Slytherin dormitories on their first night in Hogwarts. Once Nott, Crabbe and Goyle had all shut their curtains and fallen asleep, he and Draco had been left looking at each other from opposite sides of the room.

It had been Blaise who had first offered a tentative hand of friendship by saying how bloody terrified he was. Draco had quietly agreed. Once their confessions were out in the open, the two had stared at each other and silently vowed to never repeat them to anybody ever again.

During the next few years they had remained close. It was only until Draco's task in the sixth year that they had begun to grow distant. When he hadn't returned for their seventh year, Blaise had been left alone.

With the war over, along with the following war trials, Blaise had been a silent support to Draco. It was then that he'd realized that he knew the wizard better than anyone. He knew what Draco was thinking even when he didn't want Blaise to know. Which is why Blaise knew the truth about he and Hermione.

"So, do you still love her?" Blaise asked nonchalantly.

Draco's head snapped up at the question. "What?"

"You heard me." Blaise said as he took a sip from his glass.

He watched Draco follow his movements and take a sip from his own glass.

"No."

He was telling the truth. Blaise's eyebrows rose at the answer.

"Do you still like her?"

"…No."

Truth again. Blaise was surprised.

"Do you still want her?"

"…No."

A lie.

Blaise said nothing. He wasn't going to force Draco to admit something that he wasn't ready for. He also wasn't going to force Hermione to have to deal with Draco earlier than she was ready.

Because Merlin help her when Draco finally realized the truth. Nothing would stand in his way to getting what he wanted.

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_Author's Note: Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed the last oneshot or even just read it. You guys continue to knock my socks off! Until next time, Curiositykils.  
_


	24. A Cold December

**A Cold December  
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**13,508 words**

**Rating: T  
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_**13th December**_

"Oh my god. It's freezing!"

Hermione turned towards Lucy and smiled. She pulled her coat tighter around her body whilst simultaneously huddling her suddenly cold nose into her scarf. The fluffy strays of material tickled her nose and she burrowed deeper.

"I can't believe it's like this already. Maybe we'll get that white Christmas after all. It hasn't actually snowed on Christmas day in so long." Lucy said excitedly. "It would look so magical." She said in a wistful tone.

Beneath the cover of her coat, Hermione's lips turned upwards at the word magical. If only Lucy knew the truth.

"Yeah, yeah. It would be magical until you realised that the boiler chose the most inopportune moment to combust, your hands couldn't get the bloody lid off the anti-freeze, your car refused to move an inch in the snow and you ended up hiking to get to warmth...in shoes that Mr Choo only ever made to be looked at and not walked in."

Hermione's smile stretched even further as she half turned to see a grumbling Laila walk out of the restaurant and glare disgustingly at the snow on the ground.

"I hate Winter." She stated unnecessary.

The ever dramatic Lucy gasped loudly in outrage. The effect was ruined by the slight hiccup that attached itself to the end of her noise. "How can you hate Winter?" She asked Laila as she swung an arm around her shoulder.

Laila drew a steady arm around Lucy's waist before answering. "It's cold."

"It's just a bit of chilly fresh air." Lucy responded.

Hermione didn't interject with that not a minute ago, Lucy had stated it was freezing.

"Fresh air my arse. Fresh air isn't supposed to hurt your lungs when you breathe it in." Laila said.

Lucy swayed on her feet but carried on talking as if nothing had happened. "Any air hurts your lungs. You're like an old woman. You need to stop smoking." She told Laila strongly.

Laila rolled her eyes.

"You can make it your New Year's Resolution." Lucy suggested excitedly.

There was another roll of eyes. "Yeah I'll just get right on that." Laila said sarcastically before she turned her head back to look at the restaurant's entrance. "Where the hell is Hannah?"

"Oooh I bet you a tenner that she's giving her number to that waiter." Lucy said.

"She just broke up with Robert two weeks ago."

"Exactly! The best way to get over someone is to get under someone else. Everyone knows that." Lucy said in a voice laced with unnecessary innuendo.

Hermione heard Laila's familiar scoff of disgust and grumble and it wasn't a few seconds before the two were bickering away again.

Having been friends with the two of them since they'd all met in primary school, Hermione knew when she would be wasting her breath. Ignoring their comments, she looked over the busy London street as people bustled around her.

The street was already lit up with Christmas lights and Hermione could see the twinkles reflecting back in the eyes of the eager shoppers. She was glad she had already purchased most of her Christmas gifts, having learnt her lesson when one year she had nearly been crushed trying to buy Mr Weasley a Muggle gift so close to Christmas.

There was a familiar sound of a black cab honking at a group of teenagers crossing the road in the middle of the traffic and Hermione shook her head as they moved to save their bags of shopping from the incoming vehicle before themselves.

Christmas did crazy things to people.

Her eyes shifted over the crowd to the busy tube station opposite. A train must have just left the platform as a sea of commuters were rushing to get out of the electronic barriers to make their way onto the crowded street.

Hoping that there weren't any stray children in their path, Hermione instinctively looked at the Muggles standing in front of the station.

She froze as her gaze landed on a semi-familiar face.

What in Merlin's beard?

Her mind immediately dismissed the idea. There was no way it could be him. The man Hermione was looking out had long dank hair and a scraggy beard that covered his lower face. His clothes clearly suggested that he was sleeping in someone's front stoop and yet something about him made Hermione squint to take a second look.

A bus stopped in front of the station and as it painstakingly unloaded its passengers, Hermione shifted from one foot to the other. A hand on her shoulder startled her and she turned on the spot in fright.

"Hey, you ready to go?" Hannah asked, her tawny eyes studying Hermione closely.

Hermione swallowed before shaking her head. "Oh yes. I'm ready."

Hannah laughed. "What were you staring at?" she asked curiously.

Hermione shifted her gaze back to the tube station. The bus had disappeared. As had the homeless man. Hermione swept her eyes once over the crowd before she turned back to answer Hannah.

"Nothing. I just thought I saw someone I knew but I guess the wine is making me see things." She laughed.

Hannah smiled. "You had the least to drink out of all of us. If you're seeing things then I dread to think what's going on in Lucy's head."

Hermione smiled as she turned to look at her tipsy friend. She and Laila were still squabbling about the merits of Christmas.

"Both of you be quiet." Hannah said in a no-nonsense tone. She'd had the voice down since Year Two and it had come in handy over the years.

Laila and Lucy gave Hannah disgruntled looks but heeded to her command.

"Are you sure you don't want a lift home?" Hannah asked Hermione.

"Oh no, I'm going to pop into a friend's house. He's just a few bus stops away. Honestly I'll be fine." She told Hannah.

"Text me when you get home." Laila said before she swung her other arm around Lucy and pulled her up so she could make an attempt at walking to the car.

"I will." Hermione promised.

Hannah didn't look happy but she didn't say anything. Hermione knew what she was thinking though. Just who were these friends who always seemed to live a few bus stops away and why hadn't they met before?

"I'll call you tomorrow." Hermione told Hannah.

Hannah nodded her head before she moved to stand on the other side of Lucy. Hermione watched the three of them walk away until she lost them in the crowd. With one more confused look at the entrance to the station, Hermione walked down the road in order to find a quiet alley she could apparate home from.

ooo

_**14th December**_

After an entire night spent tossing and turning in a vain effort to let sleep claim her, Hermione finally admitted defeat at five thirty in the morning. She pushed the duvet off her restless form and walked into the bathroom and headed straight for the shower. The warm water pummeled down on her but even that wasn't enough to stop her mind from buzzing.

She had expected to forget all about the homeless man she had seen but she couldn't seem to get him out of her head. And the reason why continued to elude her. Hermione was well aware on just how many homeless people there were in London. People who would be spending the holiday alone and cold. The thought saddened her but no face had ever caused her to fixate on their situation so heavily. Merlin she wasn't even sure if it was him! In fact she was still refusing to believe it was him. The idea that he would be in Muggle London was just preposterous.

Yes no-one knew where he'd gone after handing his wand over to the Ministry and refusing to accept the shared rehabilitation housing the Ministry was offering him, but Hermione was sure he'd have some property stashed somewhere that the Ministry had yet to seize.

He'd disappeared and because he'd been stripped off his magic and wasn't a threat, the Ministry hadn't cared that he was missing. He was just one less criminal they had to take care off. One less burden on their exhausting resources. Rebuilding the Wizarding World after the hits it had taken during the War was proving to be very costly.

Hermione sighed as she turned the water off. Is that the kind of life she had fought so hard for? One were witches and wizards could disappear and no-one bothered to look for them. Instead were actually glad that they were gone? Didn't everyone deserve a second chance?

ooo

Hermione spent the next few hours cuddling up next to Crookshanks and watching boring daytime TV. When the room flashed emerald, she turned to face the fireplace. Smiling at the wizard who stepped through, Hermione uncurled her legs to greet her boyfriend. Kissing him on the lips, she smiled lightly.

"I didn't know you were planning on coming over." She told him.

"I thought I'd surprise you…and Harry's spending the day with Ginny." Ron replied.

His words caused Hermione's smile to falter at the edges before she looked up into his blue eyes. His expectant gaze caused her to automatically re-lift her lips. So what if he wasn't originally planning on spending his time with her today? He was here wasn't he? That was the part that counted…wasn't it?

"Well it's a nice surprise." Hermione said.

"So what do you want to do today?" Ron asked her.

Hermione was ready to reply with how she wanted a lazy day spent indoors but changed her mind at the last minute. "I was actually going to do some window shopping in Muggle London. Care to join me?"

Hermione watched as Ron's gaze flicked to look out the window at the heavy snow flurries that were beginning to fall.

His hand came to rub the short hair at the back of his neck. "Actually I can't stay for too long. I was going to go and see Mum."

Hermione stared at him in silence for a moment. Visit his Mum. He'd seen her two nights ago at their weekly dinner. Sighing, she simply nodded her head.

"Okay."

"Yeah. Well I better be going." Ron said.

"Okay." Hermione repeated.

She accepted a brief kiss on her lips before she watched him apparate out. Her heart drooped slightly when she realised he had actually gone, before she shook her head. It was better this way. Ron had hated venturing into Muggle London on the few times Hermione had taken him. He definitely wouldn't appreciate spending the hours there that Hermione was expecting too.

Deciding that Ron's lack of enthusiasm to accompany her was definitely a good thing, she walked into her bedroom to change.

ooo

Hermione sat in the window seat of a café that had a clear view of the street outside, more particularly, a clear view of the station's entrance. She had been sat here for hours, staring at the same scene and she was beginning to give up.

Two hours ago she had made a quick trip to the bathroom so she could apparate home and pick up a book. When she had apparated back to the café, she realised that reading the book would defeat the whole purpose of her trip. And so the book lay discarded on the table, taking its place next to three mugs of hot chocolate and a plate which held the crumbs of the chocolate cake Hermione had devoured for lunch.

As she uncrossed her legs and shifted on the chair, her legs complained at the movement. She wished the stiff chair was one of more comfortable chairs that took up the rest of the café but they weren't. Her derriere was starting to complain at the numbness it was suffering.

Sighing, Hermione stood from her chair and put on her coat, scarf and gloves. Maybe a short walk would be better. She hadn't had any luck spotting the homeless man from her current position and she didn't think she could take a moment more of the mundane staring.

Leaving a tip for the patient waitress, Hermione braced herself as she walked out of the café. Thank Merlin the snow had stopped falling. Turning right, she headed for Piccadilly Circus.

ooo

It was only a short twenty minutes before Hermione was longing for the warmth of the café. Her nose was beginning to run from the exertion of trying to walk in the thick snow.

Sighing, she mentally berated herself for the stupidity of her outing. Of course she was not going to find the man. Merlin, even if she did find him and it turned out to be a stranger what was she supposed to do?

It was a complete waste of time. Time that she could have spent with Ron.

Searching for a side road which would eventually lead to an alley, she spotted one and made her way to it. She apparated home and allowed Crookshanks to soothe her annoyance and foolishness.

ooo

_**21st December**_

"I can't believe you haven't bought Ginny's present yet." Hermione admonished Harry lightly as they walked through the crowds.

"I didn't know what to get her for sure until a few days ago and Lavender Brown owns all the decent jewelry chains in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade. Muggle London is the only place I can get a ring without her talking to Ginny before I actually propose." Harry replied. "And I would never be able to pick something without you."

Hermione smiled as she shook her head. As they turned a corner, the bright sunlight hit her eyes and she squinted.

"At least you picked a good day." Hermione said. Since the snow last week, England was experiencing a rare and unusual day of sunshine. Although Hermione still needed to wrap up to keep warm, it was quite nice walking in the fresh air.

"Yeah, they said it was going to start snowing again soon though. The Magical Maintenance Department receives their Christmas bonuses today but Kingsley told me that they're much lower than last year with all the money the Ministry needs to save. Expect heavy snow and cold winds for the next few days. They aren't going to be happy."

Hermione hummed in agreement as they stepped into the third jewelry shop they'd visited in the last two hours. Surprisingly, Harry had a very clear idea of what he was looking for and after Hermione had told him that Ginny would love a diamond and emerald ring, her part was quickly over. She was tagging along because she was curious if Harry would ever find the exact ring he was looking for and well…she had nothing better to do today. Ron was visiting his mother again.

As Harry made his way to the sales clerk and explicitly described what he was looking for, Hermione looked over the festive display in the shop window. It was only a brief glimpse out the window when she saw him. He was walking on the far side of the pavement, flowing with the crowd. Hermione froze as she watched the dirty blond hair move further away from her before she snapped out of her daze.

"I'll be right back Harry." Hermione said as she flew towards the door and stepped out onto the street.

He was taller than most of the Muggles that were trying to avoid touching him and so it was easy to keep him in sight. For the first minute, Hermione simply followed him from a few meters away, desperately wishing he would turn around so she could study his features more closely.

It didn't look like he was going to and when he turned into a teeming Leicester Square, Hermione knew that despite how tall he was, she was going to lose him if she didn't catch up to him. Making her way through the throng of people until she was walking directly behind him, she was once again caught on what to do. Her arm reached out to touch his shoulder but she quickly retracted it before it made contact with his thin coat.

"Excuse me." She said instead.

The man continued on walking as if he hadn't heard her.

"Excuse me sir." She repeated more loudly.

He ignored her again and then it dawned on her. He wasn't ignoring her on purpose. He just didn't expect anyone to be talking to him.

Her arm moved to his back out of its own accord. The man came to a stop immediately and Hermione's hand dropped as he turned around.

Oh Merlin. It was him. She could see that from his reaction to her.

"Malfoy?" she asked confused.

He didn't reply but continued staring at her in shock.

"Malfoy what are you doing here?" Hermione asked him.

Her arm came up to touch his arm again and he jerked back.

"Don't touch me Mudblood." He said in a hoarse voice.

Hermione stepped backwards to put more distance between them but she ignored the familiar insult. "What are you doing here?" she repeated.

"What does it look like I'm doing Granger?"

Hermione's mouth moved but no words came out.

"Where are you living?" she finally spluttered out as she took a closer look at his clothes. The dirt and holes looked much worse than she'd seen that night. "You're not sleeping on the streets are you?"

She saw his body stiffen in front of her. "I don't think that's any of your business is it Granger."

He turned and started striding away from her. Hermione quickly followed him. His footsteps were a lot longer than hers and she was forced to pull at his arm to stop him. Once again his arm jerked out of her hold.

Unpredictably, he stepped towards her so Hermione was forced to look up into his eyes. She could feel her breath being tightly held in her chest.

"I told you not to touch me Granger." He said quietly.

Hermione snapped. "Oh please. Like my Mudblood germs are going to make the slightest difference to what's already on you." She said angrily.

Malfoy took a staggered step backwards at her answer before giving her the coldest look she had ever been given.

"Why are you staying in Muggle London? I know you were offered a shared rehabilitation house by the Ministry. Why aren't you staying there?"

Instead of answering, Malfoy scoffed at her as he shook her head. "You have no idea what the Ministry did or didn't offer me."

"They offered you free housing and you turned it down."

"It isn't free when there are conditions attached." Malfoy spat.

"Compulsory voluntary work in the community. I hardly think that's straining yourself!"

There was another scoff from him and he turned away. His breath caused wisps of white swirls to form in front of his face and it was the first time Hermione realised just how cold he might be. Without thinking, she non-verbally placed a warming charm on his coat. When Malfoy turned to look at her in surprise, she ignored the question in his gaze before she murmured a spell that would knit most of the larger holes in his clothes back together again.

"What are you doing?" he demanded.

Hermione grit her teeth. "I believe the words you are looking for is Thank You." She said bitterly.

Malfoy merely stared at her for a moment longer before he turned his head again. "What do you want Granger? I think you've stared at my disgraced form long enough."

Hermione didn't know how to reply. She hadn't thought on what she would do if the man actually turned out to be Malfoy. What was she supposed to do? Give him money? Walk away? She didn't have a clue.

"Where are you staying?" she instead asked him again. "You owe me for the warming charm."

A few seconds went by. "There's a shelter on Kensington Road. If you get there early enough they have room."

Hermione hesitated. "What about food?" She asked.

She was well aware that the Muggle World was undergoing an economic recession and was unsure on how this would have affected charity contributions. When she saw Malfoy's jaw clench she assumed the worst, especially when he didn't answer. Images of the once proud rich wizard rummaging around in dustbins entered her head. He was her childhood nemesis but the image still didn't sit well with her.

"I answered your question Granger. Now unless you're planning on spending the rest of your day following me around, I think we're done here."

"I have to get back to Harry." Hermione said quietly.

Malfoy stiffened in front of her. His gaze swept the crowd behind her before he looked back down. "Then I suppose you better get back to him. We wouldn't want to keep the Chosen One waiting would we?" he said sarcastically.

When he turned around and walked away, Hermione let him. In a daze she walked back to Harry.

When she entered the shop, Harry was explaining to the sales clerk that the array of rings she had produced in front of him weren't what he was looking for. She walked over to him just as the clerk disappeared to the back of the store, no doubt to scream her frustration before bringing Harry another selection to look at.

"Hey. Where did you disappear?" He asked her as he ran a hand through his messy black hair.

For a brief moment Hermione thought of telling him the truth but something made her stop. "Oh I just saw a Muggle friend so I popped out to say hello."

Harry accepted her lie without a second's doubt. He turned back to the counter and waited for the clerk to reappear.

"What do you know about the voluntary work that the ex Death Eaters and Voldemort's followers need to carry out if they want to stay in the shared rehabilitation housing?" Hermione asked Harry uncertainly.

Harry gave her a confused look at the random question before answering with a shrug of his shoulders. "Not much. They need to help with whatever the Ministry needs an extra pair of hands in. It's mainly labour work at either Hogwarts or the Ministry. In return, they get their food and accommodation paid for. You should ask Percy. He's heading up the project."

Hermione nodded at the information she already knew. Labour was hard work but it wasn't unbearable. She herself had helped out at Hogwarts in the first few weeks after the Final Battle. The movement of rubble needed to mainly be carried out by hand and Hermione had obtained many calluses but it wasn't as if that was the end of the world. It was better than living on the streets that's for sure.

"What about money?" she asked Harry.

Maybe that had something to do with Malfoy's decision to cut himself off from the world he had grown up in?

"They don't get paid for the first six months at least. Although after that they are offered an intermediary period where they can continue until the restoration is completely finished or find a paid job."

"What if they aren't qualified?"

"The Ministry offers them evening classes and they continue the voluntary work during the day as repayment." Harry's attention moved to the sales clerk as she walked back into the room.

Hermione thought about what Harry had told her and she grew even more puzzled. It seemed like the Ministry was offering Malfoy a fair deal. Why hadn't he taken them up on it?

ooo

It turned out that the Magical Maintenance Department were incredibly angry over their Christmas bonuses as it wasn't even the end of the day before heavy snow was falling all over the country. Hermione had managed to apparate home before the worst of it had fell.

After traipsing around for four and a half hours with Harry, they'd eventually found the perfect ring in a small boutique. After meeting Malfoy, Hermione had been quiet the whole afternoon and spent most of her time reassuring Harry that she was alright. Except now that she was home and looking out the window, the worry that had settled in her stomach was churning away horribly.

She had to do something.

What if Malfoy got to the shelter late today? What if he had spent last night at the shelter and needed to eat today, therefore being unable to spend the night? What if he got a cold? The warming charm on his coat would be nothing compared to this Arctic coldness.

What did she do? She had briefly debated contacting someone in the Ministry but she knew they wouldn't care.

As a strong breeze whistled around the house, Hermione decided that it wouldn't hurt to quickly apparate to the shelter and check to see if Malfoy was okay. Quickly running up to change out of her thin tracksuit, she pulled on her heavy wooly clothes and apparated to Muggle London.

When she landed on a side street, she was forced to brace herself against a wall so she wasn't toppled over by the wind. Squinting her eyes to see even a few steps ahead of her, Hermione navigated her way to Kensington Road and the lone shelter that had a queue of people standing outside it. Hermione was taken aback by the number of people aggregated outside the door waiting in the cold to get in. She had never seen so many homeless people in one place before. The number was shocking.

As she slowly made her way past the queue in an effort to see if Malfoy was there, she received threatening looks by those waiting. When they saw what she wearing and realised she wasn't jumping the line, they simply turned away from her.

It took Hermione a good two minutes to make her way up to the entrance of the shelter. An old woman with a kind face spotted Hermione and quickly ushered her in.

"Oh honey, didn't anyone let you know that the volunteers use the back entrance?" she asked with a smile.

"Oh no. I'm not a volunteer. Sorry. I'm actually looking for someone who I think might be here."

The old woman gave her an understanding look accompanied by a pat on the arm. "What's his name love?" she asked.

Hermione hesitated. "Draco Malfoy?" she said unsurely.

Crinkles of thought appeared on the woman's forehead as she tried to place the name. "I'm sorry but I don't recognize the name."

Hermione's smile dropped a little.

"Many that come here often don't want to say anything about themselves." The woman explained.

Hermione nodded. "May I take a quick look around to see if I can spot him?"

The old woman nodded and showed Hermione where to go. She walked to the cafeteria first. As her eyes brushed over the occupants she couldn't see anyone with Malfoy's dirty blond hair or is brown coat. Hoping that he would be in one of the sleeping rooms, she quickly made her way to the next floor.

The first few rooms were a disappointment and Hermione felt uncomfortable as she stepped into them and was the object of attention for the six to seven male occupants. It was only when she was checking the fifth room that she spotted Malfoy's form lying on a thin mattress in the far corner of the room. Now that she had found him, Hermione didn't know what to say. She wondered if she should just leave, after all he was safe for tonight but it wasn't enough. Ignoring the other men in the room but being very aware of their stares on her, she walked over to his bed.

"Malfoy?" Hermione watched his body stiffen at her voice before he opened his steel eyes to regard her.

When his vision confirmed what his brain had registered when she'd spoken, he swiftly sat up, twisted his feet to the floor and stood from the bed. "Granger. What are you doing here?" he spat out angrily. "Come to have another look at a disgraced Malfoy?" he asked coldly.

"No!" Hermione instantly defended. "I-I just needed to see if you were okay."

"Why in Merlin's balls would you care? I don't need your pity Granger. I'm not one of those miserable creatures you think you can save."

"I don't want to _save_ you!"

"Then what are you doing here?" he yelled.

"I don't know!" Hermione admitted loudly. She breathed in and out forcibly before realizing the crowd they had attracted. Uncomfortably she pulled on the ends of her scarf. "I don't know why I'm here okay. But I can't just leave you here!"

Malfoy gave her an indiscernible look. "Yes you can Granger." He said before he moved to lie back down.

He closed his eyes to dismiss her.

Hermione shifted from one foot to the other. "Have you eaten today?"

Malfoy ignored her question. "Malfoy. Have you eaten today?" she repeated.

There was silence which was broken when a man's stomach grumbled loudly. Hermione looked at the man lying two beds away from Malfoy and he gave her an embarrassed smile before looking away. Malfoy may have ignored her question but she had her answer.

"Malfoy." Hermione said again.

When he continued to ignore her, Hermione snapped. "Fine. Merlin, I was trying to help you!" And with that she walked out of the room, down the stairs and out of the shelter.

Angrily, she walked down the street, head burrowed in her scarf until she hit the main road. Her chest was heaving in air as if she'd just run a marathon and her anger slipped away as easily as it had come. Looking back at where she had just come from, she sighed annoyingly before turning into the nearest café.

"Stupid Malfoy. Doesn't deserve it." She objected under her breath as she grabbed a basket and moved to the food section.

Most of the shelves were empty and Hermione walked to ones holding the remains from lunch. She grabbed two Ploughman sandwiches and a bottle of orange juice. As she made her way to the till, Hermione sighed before moving back to the shelf and adding in the remaining sandwiches and a few more bottles of juice.

At the till she handed over twenty pounds, collected her sparse change and braced herself for the walk back to the shelter. This time she walked straight in and jogged up the stairs to Malfoy's room.

He hadn't moved in the fifteen minutes Hermione had been gone and as she made her way over to his bed, the other men in the room followed her progress in silence. She dumped the bags on the mattress next to him and the dip caused him to jolt. He opened his eyes to stare at her. He eyed the bags and studied her without sound as she handed out the food and juice to the other men in the room.

She smiled at the grateful murmurs before she took the remaining two sandwiches and bottle of juice. She waved them enticingly over Malfoy's head and he gave her a hateful glare but made no move to grab them. Hermione felt guilty at the teasing and dropped them on his stomach and stepped back.

Malfoy lifted himself in a sitting position, grabbed the nearest sandwich and opened the packaging.

Hermione said nothing as he ate, instead she chose the time to study him closely. His hair hung greasily past his shoulders, his blond beard was scratchy looking and his cheekbones and chin were even more pointed than she remembered. The once manicured fingernails were bitten down and dirty.

Hermione found herself trying to breathe in through her mouth as the dank room filled with the mixture of smells. Chicken, tuna, cheese, sweat and damp. She had once read that it only took a few minutes for the human nose to get used to a smell. Hermione wondered just how much longer she had to wait.

She waited until Malfoy had finished his first sandwich and drunk some juice before she spoke. "Listen, can I talk to you outside for a second."

Malfoy looked like he wanted to say no but he looked down at the sandwich in his hand and stood from the bed. Hermione walked a few steps until she was out of the room before she turned to face Malfoy. She didn't know what to do now. Like that was something unusual she thought to herself. She stuffed her hands in her coat pocket and fisted her keys in her hand.

"Um, the Magical Maintenance Department is going to be delivering bad weather for the next few days. At least until they stop being so angry about their Christmas bonuses. Just thought you should know."

If she was expecting a nod of thanks or anything from Malfoy she was disappointed. He merely stared at her for a moment before he made his way back into the bedroom.

Hermione stood there and watched him go. She had done enough tonight. She could hardly do anymore. Instead she made sure she was alone in the hallway before she apparated home.

ooo

_**22nd December**_

The next evening Hermione found herself with two more bags of food, this time a healthier fare of hot soup and stew with fresh fruit. She stood outside the shelter and sighed as she looked up at the building. She didn't know why she was here but here she was. She could hardly let Malfoy starve. Although she could hardly afford to keep bringing him and the others that found themselves staying in his room, food every other night.

Putting the thought out of her mind, Hermione made her way to the back entrance of the shelter and slipped inside. Once again she began looking for Malfoy room by room. Her chest started to beat rapidly when she reached the last room. Where was he? She opened the door slightly and peaked her head in.

Oh Merlin… Why wasn't he here? She had told him that the weather would be too bad to spend the night outside.

"Excuse me lass."

Hermione turned to the stranger sitting on one of the cots.

"Ma name's Joe. Ya were kind 'nough to give me a sandwich and drink yesterday."

Hermione gave him a small smile. "Hello." She said. She looked over his face but she didn't remember him.

"Are ya looking for yer friend?"

Hermione's breath caught in her throat. "Yes I am. Have you seen him today?"

The man gave her a sad look. "Aye lass. He was too late."

"What?"

"I ken he's waiting in the queue."

Hermione felt relief tingle through her. "Oh thank you."

She started to make her way out of the room before she realised she was still carrying the bags of food. She turned and held them out for the man. "Um, I guess my friend won't need this tonight. I'd like you to have it. It's some soup and stew."

The man stood up and took the bags from her hands as if they held priceless treasure. "Ya man's a jammy bastard tae have a bonny lass like ya looking out for him."

Hermione smiled. Somehow she didn't see Malfoy seeing it like that. She walked out of the room and quickly headed back downstairs. She stopped briefly in the cafeteria but when she didn't spot Malfoy she realised he must still be waiting outside in the queue. It didn't take her long to find him.

Malfoy saw her coming and sighed audibly. "And what do you want today Granger?"

"Why didn't you get here early enough!" she scolded him.

Malfoy looked briefly taken aback at the reprimand. "I was busy." He replied sarcastically.

"Don't be so glib Malfoy. The temperature is supposed to drop to -4 tonight. How in Merlin's name are you supposed to stay outside in that?"

"I think that's my business Granger."

Hermione let out an angry noise in frustration. "Would you just tell me where you're planning on spending the night!"

"Underneath a bridge…on a park bench…what does it matter?" His voice sounded so deadened.

"Of course it matters."

"Why do you even need to know Granger? Just apparate back home to Weasley."

"Malfoy." Hermione said warningly.

A few others waiting in the queue had turned to stare at her and Malfoy strangely at the word apparate. Hermione had just opened her mouth to ask him to talk to her when there was a scuffle in the queue as the doors opened to let in the next batch of people. There was a mad scramble to get inside and everything happened so quickly that it took Hermione a few moments to discern that Malfoy had disappeared inside.

Hippogriff's dung. Now what was she supposed to do?

ooo

In the end the only thing Hermione could do was wait for Malfoy to finish eating and come back outside. She couldn't very well leave him if she wanted to sleep tonight with a clear conscience. It was twenty minutes before he walked back out. Hermione had taken up watch on the opposite side of the road and when she saw him step outside, she made to move towards him before deciding otherwise. It would be better if she followed him so she could see firsthand where he was planning on spending the night. Maybe it would be okay?

It didn't take long to reach the bridge he had sarcastically spoken about less than half an hour ago. Hermione watched him, half hidden from the weeds and rubbish, as he made his way to the middle of the underpass and to a pile of old blankets that were hidden behind an abandoned supermarket trolley. When Hermione saw Malfoy actually lay out the blankets on the floor she sprang from her spot.

"You're actually going to sleep here! You'll freeze to death!"

Malfoy turned around in fright before he dropped the blanket and walked up to her. "Did you follow me here?" he demanded angrily.

"It's a good thing I did. You can't be serious about this."

"When are you going to get it through your head that this is none of your business Granger?"

Malfoy's snarling words caused Hermione to stop in her tracks for a moment.

When she spoke next, it was in a quieter voice with her arms raised in a placating manner. "Look Malfoy. You can't stay here tonight. You'll die. I-I can give you the money for a hot-"

"I don't need your money Granger!" he yelled loudly.

"Look, it's fine just take it. You can pay me back wheneve-"

"I said I don't need your money Granger!" he barked at her.

Hermione flinched at his tone before gritting her teeth. "I'm trying to help you!"

"I don't need any help from you!"

"Yes you do!" And with that Hermione grabbed Malfoy's wrist and apparated him away.

ooo

As soon as Hermione's feet touched the carpeted floor of her sitting room, the first motion she felt was the jerk of Malfoy's wrist twisting out of her loose hold.

"What the fuck do you think you are doing? Take me back Granger. NOW!"

Hermione was frozen as she watched Draco Malfoy fill the space of her front room. He'd asked her what she was doing and she didn't have an iota of a clue. What had she been thinking bringing him back here? Only she hadn't been thinking, all she needed to know was that he couldn't sleep under that bridge on those rags of cloth.

"Take me back Granger. Or…" He let the threat go unsaid but it was still enough to rattle Hermione.

Her hand slipped into her coat pocket and moved to hold her wand. "You can't hurt me. Your magic has been stripped."

"They took my magic Granger. Not my fists. Now take me back!"

"Why would you want to go back there? You can spend the night here and I'll take you back in the morning." Hermione reasoned.

"I told you to take me back!"

"I'll replace your blankets and anything else that you've left. You don't have to worry about that."

"There are some things you can't replace. NOW TAKE ME BACK!"

His yell was so loud that it left Hermione's ears ringing. When Malfoy took two steps towards her with the fingers of his left hand curled in a tight fist, Hermione quickly apparated the two of them back to the underpass.

All became clear when she heard a whine coming from underneath Malfoy's discarded blankets. As he walked up to the shivering ball, Hermione stayed where she was. Even though she knew that there was a dog hiding under the rags, when a brown ear popped out of an opening, Hermione was still taken aback. Even more so when she saw Malfoy slip his hand into his coat pocket and remove what looked like beef and feed it to the hungry dog.

Hermione remained silent until the dog was licking Malfoy's fingers and started whining for more. Malfoy responded by scratching the dog behind the ears.

"Y-You can bring the dog back if you want. My cat doesn't usually mind sharing his space with other animals." Hermione said hesitatingly.

Malfoy's back was to her and so she couldn't see his reaction to her words. She was startled when he abruptly stood with the dog in his hands and nodded his head once. Hoping she was doing the right thing, Hermione walked up to him, lightly grabbed hold of his shoulder and apparated back to her house.

ooo

Hermione had to force start her brain into action when they landed back in her front room. Crookshanks had curled himself in the spot on the sofa where Hermione usually sat and upon seeing the two strangers, he immediately stood up to attention.

Hermione moved towards him so she could pet him and comfort him. The few moments it took to carry this out were all she needed to formulate a plan in her head.

"Right. I have left over soup and stew in the kitchen. Why don't you go and freshen up in the bathroom whilst I re-heat it?" she suggested in a cheery voice as she tried to tell herself that everything would be fine.

She didn't give Malfoy a chance to say anything before she said a quick "Follow me," and walked past him and up the stairs. On the way to the bathroom, she grabbed a large towel from the airing cupboard and with a little embarrassment, rummaged around the cupboard under the sink for a new razor. She placed the pink shaver on top of the towel before handing it to him. Malfoy raised an eyebrow at the fluorescent handle but said nothing before stepping into the bathroom and closing the door.

Hermione didn't move until she heard the shower start. Rubbing her head lightly, she walked back downstairs and into the kitchen. She knew she didn't have any dog food and hesitated in taking out the meat pieces from the stew. She'd rather save them for Malfoy.

In the end, she opened up a can of Crookshanks' cat food and placed it in his bowl. Hopefully that would be okay for the dog. Crookshanks saw and let Hermione know that he wasn't happy with such a far encroachment of his territory. Giving Hermione a hiss, he pottered into his bed as if Hermione would give that away too.

Hermione was too nervous to worry about Crookshanks and she mechanically reheated the food with her wand. It took only a few seconds and she sat down on a chair at the dining table to wait for Malfoy to come back downstairs.

ooo

Thirty minutes later and Hermione had given up waiting. Her head had started buzzing on what he could be doing and she slowly made her way to the bathroom. Like she suspected, the sound of running water was absent and Hermione's heart started thudding.

"Malfoy?" she called out.

There was no response.

Hermione kept her eye on the slit of light coming from underneath the bathroom door, willing it to shift into darkness and give some indication that he was still in the bathroom. She had reached the bathroom door and was about to blast it open when Malfoy pulled it open.

Hermione was struck still as she came face to face with Malfoy's naked chest. Her eyes lowered of their own accord to check if he was covered. Her eyes took in the white towel before she realised just where she was staring and heat flooded her cheeks.

"Sorry. I was just coming to call you." She said breathlessly.

Malfoy looked embarrassed at the situation which surprised Hermione. She had expected some cutting reply.

"I don't have any clean clothes." He said in explanation.

"Oh of course. I didn't think. I'll just grab you something." She said before she rushed into her bedroom.

Rummaging around in the back of her closet, she grabbed the clothes Ron had left the last time he'd spent the night and spelled them so they would re-size to Malfoy's form. When she made her way back to the bathroom, Malfoy was still stood in the doorway.

Hermione's eyes took in the thin scars over his chest and torso that she'd initially missed. Harry's Sectumsempra curse she realised numbly.

"Here." Hermione said as she passed over the clothes. "I'll be waiting downstairs." She said quietly.

The bathroom door closing was her only answer.

ooo

Hermione didn't have to wait long before she heard Malfoy's footsteps coming down the stairs. When he walked into the kitchen, he sat down at the dining table without saying anything and his eyes fixed on his sleeping dog.

Hermione waved her wand and a bowl and spoon from her cupboards moved to the table in front of him. Next was the food.

"Help yourself." Hermione said as she sat down in the opposite chair.

Malfoy spooned small amounts of stew into the bowl.

"I've already eaten." She told him.

His hand froze for a millisecond before he heaped the stew into the bowl until it was full.

For the most part they sat silently until the silence reached a loud climax in her ears.

"So what's the dog's name?" she asked him.

"He hasn't got one." Malfoy replied.

"You haven't named him?"

"He's just a dog Granger. We have a mutual relationship. I keep him fed and he keeps me warm. We don't need to be on a first name basis." He stated.

Hermione remembered how desperately Malfoy had wanted to get back to the dog earlier this evening and realised just how much he was understating his relationship with it.

"How long have you had him?"

"A while." His reply was short and curt.

Hermione let him eat in silence for another minute. Realising that he had nothing to drink, she stood and made her way to the fridge. Deciding that milk would probably be the best option for a malnourished person, she grabbed the carton and poured a pint out. She walked back over to the table and sat back down, the glass of milk in front of her.

"So why did you refuse the Ministry's offer?"

This time Malfoy froze for longer than a moment. His eyes landed on the glass of milk and for a split second, Hermione thought she saw longing in his gaze before it was masked in hatred. The spoon he was holding mid-air, dropped back into the bowl causing liquid to splash over the sides and onto the table.

"I didn't realize that kidnapping me carried conditions." He said coldly.

He pushed his chair backwards and the loud scrape against the kitchen tiles caused both animals to jerk awake. Malfoy stood from his chair and Hermione scrambled up off hers.

"I'm sorry. There aren't any conditions." She said earnestly. She pushed the glass towards him. "Please stay."

Malfoy seemed to debate internally before he eventually sat back down. Hermione sat back down too. The animals settled back into sleep. She watched him eat the rest of the food until he was full. She didn't ask him anything else and he didn't touch the glass of milk.

ooo

"So you can sleep here." Hermione said as she opened the door to the spare bedroom. "If you need anything I'm down the hall. I'll put out some fresh clothes and toiletries in the bathroom."

Malfoy nodded his head and stepped into the room. Hermione was in the process of closing the door when he spoke.

"Granger." He called out.

Hermione stopped in her actions and waited for him to say more. His jaw clenched and when he didn't continue, Hermione merely gave him a small smile.

"Goodnight." She told him as she shut the door.

She stared at the closed door for a moment, debating what she should do. Her first thought was to lock in him but what if he needed the bathroom in the middle of the night? Or if there was a fire? She couldn't trap him in there.

Sighing, she made her way downstairs and into the front room. Sweeping a gaze over the room's possessions, she accioed the expensive and priceless one's towards her. Back in her bedroom, she placed them in the drawer of her bedside table.

Charming her door with her wand, Hermione finally allowed herself to take a deep breath. Quickly changing into her pajamas, she slid under the duvet. Her ears strained and picked up the faint sounds of Malfoy in his room. Getting out of bed, Hermione slid the Muggle lock in place before turning the lights off.

ooo

_**23rd December**_

Hermione had slept fitfully the entire night. She couldn't let her mind shut down, something which was necessary for sleep to drift her away into the land of dreams. She had forced herself to stay in her room until seven, after which she had showered and dressed. Now here she was, unclicking the Muggle lock as quietly as she could before she peeked her head out into the hallway.

Malfoy's door was still shut. Did that mean he was still sleeping or that he had as the Muggle's said, cased the joint and done a runner?

Hermione walked down the stairs slowly. From what she could see of her front room, nothing looked like it had been touched and Hermione berated herself for thinking so badly of Malfoy.

When she entered the kitchen, Crookshanks immediately twisted himself around her legs. Hermione smiled and bent down to stroke him behind his ears. Malfoy's dog stayed where he was and watched her warily.

Opening up two tins of cat food, Hermione spooned the mixture out of them and put the bowls on the floor. She watched the animals lap at the food before turning around to study her own cupboards. Her hand reached out to grab the box containing the pancake mixture. Usually she would save the pancakes for Sundays, but she still felt guilty over thinking Malfoy would have stolen from her. On that thought, Hermione pulled open the fridge and took out some eggs and bacon.

ooo

Malfoy must have heard the cutlery banging together because he appeared in the kitchen half an hour later.

"Morning." Hermione said.

"Good Morning." Malfoy replied.

He hovered in the doorway and Hermione shifted from one foot to the other.

"Um feel free to sit down. Breakfast shouldn't be long." She told him.

She watched him sit in the same chair he had last night and pet his dog as it ambled over to him.

"You should name him." Hermione said in an effort to make conversation.

Malfoy looked at the dog and the dog looked back at Malfoy. He said nothing and Hermione didn't push any further. She turned her back and poured the pancake mixture into the pan.

"Why are you doing it by hand?"

Hermione turned back around. "Sorry?"

Malfoy waved his hand at the stove. "Why are you doing it by hand? Not with magic."

Hermione looked back at the stove. "I don't know." She frowned. "Sometimes I use magic and at other times I find myself doing it the Muggle way. I suppose it's a good thing. If I ever find myself without magic then I won't die of hunger."

Hermione stopped speaking when she realised what she'd just said. "Oh…sorry." She said to Malfoy.

He looked at her with an indiscernible look on his face before it softened minutely. "Why are you sorry? You're only telling the truth."

Hermione didn't know what to say and she busied herself with flipping the eggs over.

"When are you taking me back?"

Hermione knew that she should have an answer for his question. She had asked herself the same thing a million times during the night.

"What time do you usually have to get to the shelter to get a room?"

"I usually start queuing at around six."

Hermione glanced at his wrist. "How do you know when it's time?"

Malfoy shifted in his seat. "I didn't at first. I used to wait around the shelter the whole day. Then this old Muggle man told me that I would get a bed if I waited from six when the weather wasn't too bad. I ignored him the next day, I thought he was lying so that he could get my place and I would be too late. I used to walk around…to find food and saw a couple of men I recognized standing outside this Muggle shop. It had boxes in the window with moving pictures and in the corner was a clock."

An electronic store with televisions Hermione realised. And they would probably be set to the news channel 24/7.

"It's called a television." She said to Malfoy.

"What?" He replied.

"The Muggle box. It's called a television. Muggles use it to watch things on…I don't know how to explain it. We can watch some after breakfast if you want."

"You didn't answer my question. The weather looks like it's not going to get any better. I'll need to start queuing at five the latest."

Hermione nodded but said nothing. The two ate breakfast in silence and when she took a minute to wave her wand to clean over the kitchen, Malfoy watched her silently.

ooo

Hermione's eyes flickered from the T.V screen to Malfoy's face. Initially he had feigned indifference to watching the T.V. as if doing something so Muggle was beneath him, but Hermione had seen his mouth twitch a few times. Assuming he wanted to ask questions on what she was doing, Hermione had extensively explained everything she could about the T.V., the remote control, the DVD and the DVD player.

She had picked the only DVD she had that was not a romance and slotted it in. And for the last hour and a half, Malfoy had kept his eyes glued to the screen. Knowing that the movie was coming to an end, Hermione excused herself into the kitchen to see if she had any groceries for lunch.

Realising that she would need to go shopping she hesitated. Did she take Malfoy with her or leave him here with another movie? Hermione decided to wait until the film was over and ask him what he preferred to do.

She walked back into the room at the same time the fireplace flashed green and Ron stepped out. There was a horrible frozen silence for a moment where Hermione's head turned from Malfoy to Ron. And then all hell let loose.

Ron, upon recognizing Malfoy's cleanly shaven face, leapt towards him, arm outstretched into a fist. His aim was true and Malfoy's face was thrown to the right.

"Ron!" Hermione screamed from the doorway.

In his rage he ignored her completely and punched Malfoy again. "What are you doing here Malfoy?"

"Ron, please stop it!"

"Get off me Weasley!"

Another punch was thrown. This one from Malfoy. Ron's face reddened further and he threw himself on Malfoy.

"Ron!" Hermione scrambled around for her wand but it wasn't in her pocket. She ran towards the two brawling men and tried to pull Ron off Malfoy. Her weak pull made no difference.

"What the fuck are you doing here Malfoy?" Ron continued to yell.

Hermione looked around the room blindly for her wand. Seeing it resting on top of the DVD case, Hermione leaped for it and not a second later, Ron had been frozen.

Hermione panted in breaths of air as she looked over Malfoy. His face was twisted in anger but apart from a few bruises that were beginning to form on his pale skin, nothing looked to be broken.

"Can you leave us alone for a moment please?" she asked him.

Malfoy gave her a look to suggest she was crazy but after giving Ron one last dirty look, he stalked out of the room. Hermione made sure the door was charmed shut before she muttered the counter curse.

Ron leapt up off the floor. "What the hell is going on? Why is _Malfoy_ here!"

"I saw him yesterday in Muggle London. He's been sleeping on the streets. I couldn't just leave him there!" Hermione tried to explain.

"Hermione have you gone crazy? This is Malfoy we're talking about! The boy who watched whilst his Aunt crucioed you! And you're letting him stay here!"

"What do you want me to do? Leave him out there in the cold? He'd freeze to death!"

"It's nothing more than he deserves!"

"Ron!"

"What? You think if your positions were reversed, he would be letting you stay at Malfoy Manor?"

"But our positions aren't reversed are they? I'm not going to leave him on the streets in Muggle London!"

"I don't want him staying here! Do you hear me? I don't want him staying here!"

"He's got nowhere else to go!"

"That's his fault for refusing to accept the Ministry's help!"

Hermione shook her head. "He's staying Ron." She said firmly. Her own answer caused Hermione to freeze. It was the first time she'd realised that she had no intention of letting him spend tonight at the shelter.

Ron spluttered, too angry to speak.

"I think it's best if you left." She told him quietly.

His stare would have Avada'd her if it was possible. "You're picking _him_ over me?"

"I'm not picking him over anyone Ron. I'm helping him."

"I told you I don't want him here!"

"And the last time I checked this was my house and I alone decide who stays here." Hermione said loudly.

"Some girlfriend you are!"

"What?" Hermione gasped in outrage. "Some girlfriend _I_ am? What are you even doing here today? Let me guess, Harry decided to spend the day with Ginny again." She said bitterly.

Ron's silence gave her the answer she expected. It was with an angry pop that he apparated out.

Hermione was ashamed to find her eyes actually tearing up. She swiped at them angrily and after taking a few deep breaths, she opened the door to find Malfoy leaning against the opposite wall. Belatedly Hermione realised that she hadn't placed a Silencing charm on the door.

"Let me heal your face." She said to Malfoy before she walked back into the sitting room.

She sat down heavily on the sofa and waited for him to sit next to her. It didn't take long for her wand to perform the necessary spells and a minute later it seemed as if the last five minutes hadn't even occurred.

The two sat in silence before Malfoy broke it. "The Ministry lost millions of Galleons during the War. It's borrowing money from the French Ministry of Magic and others to fund the restoration of England's Wizarding World. Rebuilding Hogwarts, Diagon Alley, Hogsmeade... they're spending money they don't have. Especially when it comes to paying compensation." He said softly.

Hermione knew what he was talking about. Many families that had lost loved ones were blaming the Ministry. Compensation pleas ranged from saying the Ministry didn't have well thought out plans to fight Voldemort to the Ministry leaving it too late to warn them on his return.

"There's one thing that always happens when Ministries are failing…Corruption."

Hermione gasped. "What? That's not possible."

"Just because it's invisible to many doesn't mean it's not going on Granger. Merlin, my own father got to where he was because he had money to pay off corrupt Ministry workers into giving him the connections he wanted."

"Maybe then, but surely not now?"

Malfoy scoffed. "Just because people don't have the Dark Mark on their arms doesn't mean that they're not evil Granger. The Ministry is going to crumble. Now…later, it doesn't matter but it's going to happen. And people know that. So they're taking what they need to survive."

Hermione sat there stunned. She knew so many people in the Ministry. To think that any one of them could be taking money that wasn't theirs…depriving the people who needed it the most.

"When my father died, his possessions contained a list of names. My mother read them and blackmailed a wizard on the list. She wanted to keep Malfoy Manor and wanted to get out of the compulsory voluntary work. The wizard she was blackmailing knew no-one would believe her. Blackmail is illegal and he was going to have her arrested and thrown in Azkaban."

"But your mother isn't in Azkaban. Isn't she in the Hogsmeade restoration work group?" Hermione vaguely remembered seeing Mrs Malfoy a few months back.

"Yes. I went to see the man she was blackmailing. He told me that he wouldn't get the Auror's to arrest her as long as I left the Wizarding World."

"What does one have to do with the other?" Hermione asked confused.

"The Ministry has set out a fixed amount of Galleons for each witch or wizard they want to rehabilitate. If I leave the Wizarding World but my name is somehow kept on the register-"

"Then he can take the Galleons allocated to your care."

"It always comes down to money and power in the end."

Hermione digested the information he'd just offloaded onto her. She dreaded to ask the next question but knew she had no choice.

"The wizard that your mother tried to blackmail…"

"…Percy Weasley."

ooo

Hermione couldn't breathe. It had been close to an hour since Malfoy had told her the truth and it still felt like her chest was being pressed with a heavy weight.

Percy?

Percy was the reason Malfoy was living on the streets? She knew that out of all the Weasley's, he was the one who was most hungry to dissociate himself from the poor reputation associated with his family.

But this…

Oh Merlin, what was she supposed to do? Who did she tell? The Weasley's…Oh Merlin, this would ruin Arthur and Molly. They were just becoming a family again.

And Ron…

"I don't know what to do." She admitted loudly.

"You don't do anything Granger." Malfoy's voice came from the doorway.

"I can't just go ahead as if I don't know this!"

"For once in your life leave well alone! Weasley is one piece of Hippogriff shit out of many. Showing the world what he is will do more harm than good."

"I know the Weasley's will be hurt but I can't just let him carry on."

"I don't mean the Weasley's! I mean me! What do you think Weasley will do when he finds out that I told someone? He'll have my mother carted off to Azkaban quicker than he is!"

"You can't be serious! Who knows how many others he's done this to?"

"If they're like me then they'll find a way to survive."

"They shouldn't have to find a way!"

Malfoy looked like he wanted to hit something and Hermione was very glad that he refrained.

"Look I can talk to Kingsley. He'll be able to keep the information to himself until we have the necessary evidence to convict Percy."

Hermione couldn't believe that she had just said those words. She was plotting to send her boyfriend's brother to Azkaban.

She ignored the guilt bubbling in her stomach. "Does your mother still have the list of names?"

Malfoy scoffed. "I doubt it but I wouldn't put it past her to have memorized it."

"Then that's we're we'll start."

"That list is going to be a drop in the cauldron compared to how many corrupt officials there are now."

"Well we have to start somewhere." Hermione pointed out.

Malfoy still didn't look too pleased. Hermione took his silence as agreement and sent an owl to Kingsley, asking him if he would be able to come over. Hermione had wanted to ask him if he could somehow pull Narcissa Malfoy from her voluntary duty but she was scared that Percy would somehow find out so she'd left it.

The first thing they needed was to make Kingsley aware of what was happening in his Ministry.

ooo

Hermione sighed tiredly. It was only quarter past four and she felt like it was eleven at night and time to go to sleep. The day seemed never ending.

Kingsley had responded to her letter right away and apparated to her house not long after that. He'd been shocked and angry about what they were telling him, but Hermione only knew this because she'd spent so much time with him during the war. Otherwise his cool façade didn't slip once.

He'd apparated out but not before telling them that he would be brining Narcissa Malfoy to Hermione's house once the work day finished at four.

If Malfoy was excited to see his mother after so long, he didn't show it. In fact he had spent the rest of the day in his own little bubble. He hadn't spoken when they'd gone to the local supermarket and hadn't replied when Hermione had tentatively asked him what he'd like for lunch.

He'd spent the hours since lunch in his room with his dog doing Merlin knows what. Hermione hadn't bothered him, choosing to spend her time doing some studying for Healer school in the sitting room.

A few minutes later, Hermione closed her book when the fireplace flashed green. She greeted Kingsley with a friendly smile which dropped off when she saw the disgusted look on Narcissa Malfoy's face.

"What am I doing here? I demand that you take me back at once." She told Kingsley as she jerked her arm out of his hold and brushed the jumper she was wearing as it had been dirtied. Hermione's eyebrows rose at the motion.

Malfoy must have heard the fireplace go off as he entered the room. Narcissa Malfoy's demeanor changed instantly as she let out a cry and ran to hug Malfoy. He accepted his mother's hold but remained distant.

"Draco. My son." She cried as she ran her hands over his face. "What is going on? Why are you here? In the Mudblood's house."

There was an explosive silence before Malfoy gripped his mother's arms tightly and pushed her away from him. "Don't call her that. She'd done more for me than you ever have."

Narcissa's mouth fell open slightly as she looked at her son with forlorn eyes. "How can you say that Draco? Everything that I have done is for you."

"So you deciding to blackmail Weasley was for my own good was it?" he asked angrily.

"It was. I was trying to give you the life you should have. Malfoy Manor and all in it are yours. It was in Lucius's will."

"And what about when Weasley blackmailed you back? I suppose you sending me to live in the Muggle world was for my own good too?"

"You knew?" Hermione gasped.

Both Malfoy's continued as if they hadn't heard her. When Malfoy had told her what had happened that morning, she hadn't realised Narcissa had known about the deal he had made with Percy.

"Draco please. I love you. I was doing it for you."

"No! You were doing it for you. I used to believe you when you said that before but what kind of mother sends her only son to live in a world he doesn't know without any money or information? What kind of mother doesn't stand up for her only son when his life is being threatened by Voldemort?"

Narcissa merely broke down in tears. Through her anger and disgust, Hermione actually felt slightly guilty for the older woman.

Kingsley cleared his throat and bought them all back to the reason of this meeting.

It was another five minutes of crying before it actually started.

ooo

Once the meeting actually got under way, it was over incredibly quickly. Narcissa Malfoy wrote down a list of twelve names on a piece of parchment and her part was over. By five, she and Kingsley were preparing to leave again.

Hermione watched as she stumbled slightly towards Malfoy, before retreating back to her place next to Kingsley when she saw the unyielding look on Malfoy's face.

They apparated out with Kingsley giving them a nod in goodbye. Their departure left a deafening silence.

Hermione had no clue what to do next. Malfoy seemed to be in deep thought so she simply re-opened her books, sat down on the sofa next to him and continued studying.

ooo

An hour passed by in silence. Malfoy had taken control of the remote and flicked through the controls for a few minutes before he'd come across Cartoon Network. He'd been watching Dexter's Laboratory and the Powerpuff Girls ever since.

Hermione hadn't said anything that might indicate he was watching children's cartoons. Ron had been strangely fixated when she'd taken him to see Shrek in the cinema, having seen nothing like it before.

A knock on her front door allowed Hermione to take a break and close her books. When she opened the door, she didn't have time to get out of the way before three women came squealing in.

Oh Merlin. Today was Wednesday night. How could she have forgotten?

Hermione closed the door and followed the once loud sounds that had been extinguished when they had entered the front room. She entered the room herself to find Malfoy standing haughtily by the window as he stared at the three women blatantly ogling him.

"My my. Where have you been hiding this one Hermione?" Lucy teased as she looked Malfoy over from head to toe.

Hermione sighed. "Malfoy, these are my friends, Lucy, Laila and Hannah. Guys, this is Malfoy. He's…a friend that's staying here for a few days."

"Hello." Hannah said.

Laila nodded whilst Lucy smiled.

"I completely forgot about dinner. It's been a crazy few days." Hermione admitted.

"I would have forgotten too." Lucy said slyly.

Laila scoffed at Lucy's comment and it wasn't long before the pair were bickering away. The familiarity actually relieved Hermione.

"You'll have to ignore these two." Hannah said as she removed her coat and sat down in the armchair. "So how well do you and Hermione know each other?"

"We went to Hogwarts together." He said.

"Hogwarts?" Hannah said with a confused look at Hermione.

"Oh, that's what we called St Hilda's." Hermione lied with a nervous gulp. "Malfoy, can I talk to you in the kitchen for a moment?"

He followed her flustered form.

"I'm sorry. I completely forgot that they were going to come over for dinner tonight. I can ask them to leave." Hermione suggested.

Malfoy gave her a blank look. "Why? You can apparate me to the shelter and be back here in a few seconds."

"I'm not apparating you back there."

"I'm not going to take your pity Granger!" Malfoy said loudly.

"Is everything okay in here?" Laila asked as she walked into the kitchen.

Hermione nervously tucked a stray curl behind her ear. "Oh it's fine. I'll be right out." She said.

Laila looked between the two before she walked over to collect a bunch of takeaway menus and moved back into the sitting room. She gave Malfoy a warning look before she left.

Hermione turned back to Malfoy. "Look, you said that if you wanted to get a bed for tonight you'd need to be at the shelter by five. It's quarter past six now. So your only option is to spend another night here."

Malfoy looked unhappy at the idea and Hermione bristled.

"You don't have to spend it with us if you're uncomfortable. I can bring you some food to your room."

"Don't want your friends to know about me?"

I took her a second to realize he was teasing her. Merlin, his changing moods were sending her spinning.

"No Malfoy. It isn't that. It just they don't know I'm a witch."

"I've been living in the Muggle world for months Granger. I think I can convincingly play my part." He replied with a raised eyebrow.

Hermione hesitated but agreed. It was with trepidation that she walked back into the room.

"So what does Malfoy mean?" Lucy asked as they sat down on the sofa.

"Bad faith." Malfoy replied.

"Jeez, your parents didn't give you a chance did they?" Laila said.

"Malfoy is my surname."

"You call each other by your last name?" Hannah asked Hermione.

"It's an affectionate thing." Hermione lied.

Malfoy's lips twitched into a small smile. "Yes, I've called her Granger my whole life."

Hermione's friend seemed to accept the fib.

"So what's your first name?" Hannah asked him.

"Draco."

"_Draco!_" Lucy giggled. "My God. What were your parents thinking?"

"I'll have you know that both Draco and Malfoy are names that have been in my family for generations." Malfoy said indignantly.

Lucy simply carried on giggling. Sensing Malfoy could lose it at any second, Hermione changed the subject to what they wanted for dinner. Once the Chinese food had been ordered, the five "friends" descended into silence as the movie Hermione had put into DVD player, started up.

ooo

It was when Hermione was going into the kitchen to get more wine that she realised an owl was hovering outside the window. Taking the envelope from its beak, Hermione saw the letter was addressed to both her and Malfoy. Opening it, she read the small note quickly before her heart started thumping rapidly. She knew Kingsley was angry but she never would have expected that he would act so quickly.

Hermione walked to the sitting room. Malfoy noticed her standing in the doorway and she made a motion for him to follow her. When he did, she handed him the letter silently and watched his expression as he read it.

His eyes were numb when he reached the end of the letter. "They arrested Weasley."

Hermione nodded and bit her lip.

"And my mother."

"I'm sure it will be okay. She may have tried blackmailing Percy but what he did was a lot worse. She'll probably only need to do an extension on her voluntary work."

Malfoy bobbed his head up and down once.

"Do you want me to write Kingsley back and tell him that you'll be visiting your mother tomorrow morning?"

Malfoy seemed to debate this for a moment before shaking his head.

"No? I know how your mother has treated you has been horrible but I think you should see her. You're still her son and she'd want to see yo-"

"I said no Granger! Just leave it alone!" he said angrily. His fist crumpled the letter before he left the room. A few seconds later she heard his bedroom door slam shut.

ooo

_**24th December **_

It was another fitful night's sleep for Hermione. She stayed in her bedroom until eight the next morning when Crookshanks' scratching at her door made her step outside.

She tentatively made her way to the kitchen and stopped short when she saw Malfoy sitting at the table. Hermione didn't know what to say so she walked past him and opened a tin of cat food and dog food they had bought yesterday.

"Granger. I'm sorry for shouting at you last night."

Hermione sighed in relief that he wasn't still angry and accepted his apology with a nod of her head.

Soundlessly she opened the fridge to get out the eggs and milk.

"Kingsley sent us another letter." Malfoy said.

"Oh?"

"It seems our presence this morning is mandatory. I have to speak at my mother's and Weasley's trial."

"Percy's trial is this morning? So quickly?" Hermione spoke to herself.

Malfoy nodded. "Kingsley probably wants to spread the word that corruption will be dealt with quickly and harshly."

"Right." Hermione said but her mind was on other thoughts.

She would be seeing Ron for the first time since their fight. She knew he would blame her for Percy's corruption coming to light. If she hadn't allowed Malfoy to stay with her then none of this would be happening. The butterflies in her stomach started to flutter around madly.

"We have to be at the Ministry at eight thirty. I'm going to get ready." Malfoy said as he stood from his chair.

Hermione nodded vaguely.

"Granger."

Hermione snapped out of her thoughts and looked at him.

"Weasley's an idiot." He said before walking out of the room.

Hermione didn't ask him which Weasley he was talking about.

ooo

Hermione delayed apparating to the Ministry until the last possible moment. She was dreading facing the Weasley family…her family. What was she supposed to say to them? She should have told them about Percy before informing Kingsley. They deserved that much at least.

It was Ron's roar of fury that showed Hermione where the Weasley's were standing.

"You bastard!" Ron spat as he tried to walk over to Malfoy. Harry and Charlie held him back. "What lies have you been telling Kingsley?" he demanded furiously.

"I would only need to tell lies if your brother kept his hands off money that wasn't his."

Ron made another attempt to reach Malfoy.

"Malfoy." Hermione said quietly.

She turned to face Mr and Mrs Weasley. Molly was crying, her red eyes being mopped every few seconds by her old hanky.

"I'm so sorry Molly, Arthur."

Molly burst into a fresh round of heaving sobs whilst Arthur gave her a nod of acknowledgement. Hermione bit her tongue to stop from crying herself. It was Harry's warm smile that gave her the strength to keep the tears at bay.

"Mr Malfoy. Hermione. May I see you for a moment?" Kingsley said as he appeared next to them.

Hermione nodded and followed him into a side room.

"I understand that Mr Malfoy has been spending the past two nights at your home?" Kingsley asked.

Hermione nodded, a faint blush staining her cheeks. When put like that, it sounded as if there was something more going than there actually was.

"I'm sorry. I should have arranged housing for Mr Malfoy but I had a number of things on my mind…Anyway, after what Mr Malfoy has been through in the last few months, I think the rules for his potential rehabilitation will be wavered." Kingsley turned to Malfoy. "I have secured housing for you and your mother. You will probably be free to pick a course to study if that is what you desire whilst your mother will have to continue with the voluntary hours the Wizengamot allocate to her."

Malfoy nodded.

"I apologize again for not making the necessary arrangements earlier."

"Don't be. It wasn't a problem." Hermione placated. She could feel Malfoy staring at her but she kept her eyes on Kingsley.

"Very well. The trial will be starting soon. Mr Malfoy, you will be asked to come through first. Hermione, you will be sent for later. Once the trial is over, your mother will be accompanied straight to your housing. I assume you will want to go with her?"

Hermione flicked her eyes over to Malfoy and watched his jaw clench before he nodded once.

"Good."

There was a knock on the door before a witch popped her head around. "We're ready to start Kingsley."

Kingsley nodded in acknowledgment. "Well. If you'll follow me Mr Malfoy. Hermione you can remain here."

He walked out the door, leaving her and Malfoy alone. Hermione turned to look at him.

"Good luck." Hermione said lamely after a few seconds of silence had passed by.

Malfoy gave her a piercing look before he started to follow Kingsley.

Hermione didn't know why but she felt her heart dropping in disappointment. What did she expect him to say?

"Granger."

Hermione looked back up.

"Thank You."

"…You're welcome."

Malfoy's hand twitched by his side. "I'll owl you when I've got my mother settled."

Hermione smiled. "Okay."

"Merry Christmas Hermione." He said as he walked out the door.

"Merry Christmas…Draco."

* * *

_Author's Note: Wow, I had no idea how long this oneshot would be when I started writing it. Sorry! I didn't really want to split it into two parts because I don't think it had two distinct parts. I hope you enjoyed reading it and look forward to hearing your thoughts. I'll also take this time to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! _

_As my 350th reviewer, Star-Of-Hearts provided me with a list of four oneshots that she would like to see me continue. They were Rakes and Spinsters, That Night, Rut and Santa Claus. I think I know which one I'm going to write a "Part 2" to so keep your eyes peeled.  
_


	25. A New Life

**A New Life  
**

**2943 words**

**Rating: M  
**

_

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_

Draco was sat on the bed, bent at the waist as he tied the thin black laces on his polished black shoes. The movement was mechanical. He tied one shoe into a bow before his thin fingers moved over to his left leg. This time he tied the bow in a different way. Making one loop, before twisting the other lace around it and pulling it tight. So tight that if there was a small person standing in the middle of the knot, the air from her throat would have been cut off completely within a few seconds.

He heard his wife's high heels on the wooden floor before he saw them from the corner of his vision. He flicked his eyes up to her formal dress and his gaze took in the royal blue dress hugging and skimming her perfect curves…The diamonds that were wrapped tastefully around her delicate throat and dripping from her ears. His perfect wife looking as always…perfect.

Draco dismissed her in the next instant. Standing from the bed, he turned his back on her as he adjusted the sleeves of his jacket and buttoned it up.

"Draco." His wife's perfect voice called out to him, albeit quietly.

He debated ignoring her for a moment. Wanting to take cruel satisfaction in hearing her say his name again, even though she knew he'd heard her the first time. Something stopped him…and he knew just what it was.

_Her_.

She would be disappointed in his behavior if he acted like that and so he acknowledged his wife with a terse nod.

"I have something to tell you."

Draco fiddled with his silver cufflink for two long seconds before he finally turned to face her.

His wife was watching him with those brown doe eyes and Draco wondered how her eyes could be so…muddy whilst _hers_ were the colour of warm chestnuts. Waiting to be devoured.

Realising that his wife was still standing silently in front of him, Draco silently raised an eyebrow in a signal for her to continue. He watched her throat swallow in nerves as she struggled to get whatever was in her mouth, out.

In the end she went against her perfect upbringing and blurted it out.

"I'm pregnant." She said with a voice betraying a hint of excitement she had tried to initially hide.

Draco didn't know what to say and so he said nothing. He merely stared at his wife's perfectly flat stomach, hidden behind the fall of silk. He knew he should be happier. He had been married for four years and he needed an heir to carry on the Malfoy line. He and his wife had been fucking regularly so she could get pregnant. It had taken so long that Draco had actually made a private appointment with a top Healer in St Mungo's. He had assured him that everything was fine with both Draco's and his wife's body. Assured Draco that they would get pregnant when the time was right.

Draco felt a mixture of satisfaction and anger. It was over. The second he told _her_ it would all be over.

"Draco?" His wife's hesitant voice broke his musings.

Clenching his teeth, he breathed out forcibly from his nostrils. He stepped the three steps that were distancing them and he dropped a kiss on her perfectly made up mouth. She was wearing a shade of very light red on her lips. Red had been ruined on every other woman when he'd seen _her_ red mouth. Tasted it. Pleasured it.

He'd told his wife how much he disliked red lipstick on her. She would probably come up with some excuse on how this wasn't red but another colour like Candy Apple or other shit that was scrawled on the bottom of those little tubes. Before he broke his kiss, Draco angrily swiped his tongue along his wife's plump bottom lip. He felt her part her lips a little, expecting him to deepen the kiss and he instantly broke it. His disgust was only veiled because he saw her lips had been lightened of their rouge colour.

"If we don't apparate out now we'll be late." He said in his normal impassive voice.

He watched his wife take in a sharp breath before her eyes opened in dazed surprise. In the next second he saw something dim behind them. Another piece of light that had been staunched out forever and for a moment, Draco felt a stirring of guilt in the pool of his stomach. No doubt a feeling he was experiencing because he spent so much time with _her_.

It was _her_ voice that he heard in his head. Telling him that it wasn't his wife's fault that the two of them were married. That he found her so utterly lacking in everything but as a suitable accessory on his arm.

The voice wasn't loud enough and soon enough it had quieted down to a nonexistent whisper.

Draco took his wife's wrist, wrapped it around his arm and apparated the two of them to yet another useless party to show the Wizarding World that the Malfoy's no longer wanted to kill Muggleborns.

ooo

Draco was sat on the bed, bent at the waist as he untied the thin black laces on his polished black shoes. His movements were unhurried but the slight tremor in his fingers betrayed the excitement he was feeling. He pulled against one piece of sting and imagined that it was the thin ribbon of _her_ underwear that he was untying. Like he'd done so many times. Like he would do tonight.

He heard her bare feet pad over to him and his fingers hurried in their motion. He kicked off both shoes before he turned to face her. His eyes greedily took in the lacy green lingerie that had molded against her curves and his balls tightened in his trousers.

"Looks like someone needs to play catch up." Her teasing voice glided over him and evaporated his raw nerves after the mind numbing evening.

She'd been there…as always. She'd been on that bastard's arm…as always. It had made Draco so jealous he could barely breathe and it took all his strength not to break the thin whiskey filled tumbler he held…as always.

She was his. And he would make sure she knew that tonight.

He stood from the bed and let her small hands run over his body. Robes were dropped to the floor. Buttons were undone. Zips were slowly unfastened. Until finally he was naked. His petite witch braced herself against him and stood on her little toes, head reaching up to his lips. Even on tip toes she was still too short to reach them and Draco loved it. Loved that she had to work to kiss him.

He dipped his head down…so close that he felt the touch of her lips for such a short time it couldn't be considered a kiss before he moved back up. Smiling at the slight annoyance in her chestnut eyes, he repeated the motion before pulling back up again. He wanted to be in control this last time. Draco knew that once he told her about his wife it would all be over.

His head dropped down for a third time and his mouth slammed down onto hers. He allowed her a moment to pass over the shock she felt before he palmed her thighs. She followed his movements and lifted her legs around his waist. Stumbling, Draco moved them backwards until he felt her back hit a wall. The movement caused the head of his cock to brush against her swollen bundle of nerves and she moaned loudly. He plugged the sound by sliding his tongue into her mouth.

Shifting her slightly so she was properly braced against the wall, Draco moved the arm that held her head to his lips and slipped it between their bodies. His fingers slithered underneath her panties and encountered the wetness gathered there.

His mind was jerked back to her mouth for a moment when he felt her bite at his bottom lip and capture it between her teeth. He pulled his head backwards and she didn't let up her grip until he was a good two centimeters away. Draco looked into her teasing eyes as she raised a single eyebrow as if to say "You aren't getting control that easily."

Draco smiled at the dare as he slid two of his fingers into her. Her mouth parted in a silent gasp and her eyes darkened that much more in desire. He moved out before easily pushing back in.

"You're so tight love." He whispered hoarsely into her ear.

It constantly surprised him when he felt her vise like grip around his fingers or cock. He moved the fingers in and out in a fast rhythm before twisting slightly so his thumb was free to brush against her clit every time he moved in. Draco reveled in the loud moan he was gifted with. It was one of the things he loved most about her. His wife was like a dead mouse in bed. She went through the motions silently and Draco only knew she climaxed when he felt the throbbing of her walls as she milked him for his seed.

But _her_…she was so responsive. Letting him know exactly what she liked and demanding more of what felt good.

"Come for me." He ordered.

His mouth found the sensitive skin under her ear and he sucked hard. Alternating the sucking with soothing licks and blows of cool air, he caused an angry red mark to appear on her pale skin. She would berate him for it later. But Draco would simply smirk her thoughts away, knowing that she secretly liked having him brand her.

"Oh Merlin, Draco."

Her fingers tangled in his hair and pulled. The slight pain caused him to shiver in pleasure and his fingers moved faster and faster. She was close. He could feel it. Her chest was beating rapidly against his own…and then she screamed. Draco continued his ministrations as she rode out her climax before he made to remove his fingers. Her muscles protested in one last spasm before they released him.

Draco had to breathe in and out a few times to steady his breathing. His cock was leaking at the tip and he moved the head until it rubbed against her tingling wetness. She started wriggling when she felt him, trying to shift so his head would move into its awaiting slit. When she failed in her intended actions she groaned loudly and Draco laughed against her throat.

Moving so they were laying on the bed, he teased her further by slowly removing her bra and knickers.

"Please Draco."

"So sweet and hot." Draco muttered to himself. "Do you need me?" he asked her in a rough voice. "Tell me what you want."

"You." She said in a prolonged moan.

"What part of me?"

She clawed at his back in desperation. "All of you. Please Draco. Now."

And he thrust in fully to the hilt. One long movement that caused her hips to rise of the bed, her body begging for more contact with him.

Draco felt a familiar tightening in his balls and knew he wouldn't last. "Fuck." He muttered. "Stay still!" He growled.

His fingers tightened against her wriggling hips but she ignored his command.

"More. Now!"

She lifted her hips and moved upwards on the bed, causing him to move out of her. The cold air where her silky heat had just been caused him to howl out. Her legs hooked around his buttocks and she pushed him back into her body.

And Draco gave up. He pistoned into her a few times like a clueless teenager and that was all it took for him to lose control.

ooo

Draco still had his head pillowed on her breasts when he knew he had to tell her. She deserved that much. He should have told her as soon as he had apparated into the suite but he'd been a selfish bastard. What else was new?

"I have something to tell you."

Still in bliss from her recent climax, she merely made a small "Hmm" in response, her fingers continuing to run through his hair.

"She's pregnant."

The hand faltering in its movement was the only indication that she had registered his words. She was silent and her breathing didn't change. Draco grit is teeth as he waited for her response.

When she didn't say anything after thirty seconds, he lifted his head. She seemed to be deep in thought and he moved up her body so he could kiss her lips gently. When he moved back, her eyes were piercing his own.

"Congratulations." She said quietly.

Draco didn't know how to respond. His shoulders moved up in an ambiguous shrug.

"Don't Draco. This is a good thing. You've been waiting for a child for years…How is she?" she asked hesitantly.

"Fine." Draco said curtly. This was his time with her. He didn't want to talk about his wife.

When her body started moving from underneath his, he immediately shifted until he was on all fours, boxing her body in. His palms cupped the side of her face and held it there.

"Until the baby comes there is nothing stopping us from…"

"No Draco…" she said as she shook her head within his hold.

"Yes!" Draco said and he bent down to kiss her again. His mouth slanted over hers, his tongue brushing against her lips, coaxing them to open so he could persuade her. He stopped when he felt a tear run over his hand.

"We said we would only continue until…"

"I know." Draco said quietly.

"You shouldn't have even come tonight…You need to be at home with your wife."

"I lov-" His words were stopped when she held her fingers up to his mouth.

"Go home and tell your wife." She whispered.

Her hand fell from its position and she leant in and kissed him chastely. And Draco knew that it was over. He wouldn't get her to change her mind. Deep in the recesses of his mind, he knew he wouldn't have been able to sway her.

Admitting defeat, Draco finally moved his body off hers. She accoied both their clothes to the bed and slowly they began re-dressing with melancholy. She spoke as they dressed and he listened, wanting to disagree with her words but knowing that he would heed anything she told him so he wouldn't disappoint her.

"Treat her well…Listen to her…Hold her when she needs you to…Love her."

Draco fiddled with his silver cufflink for two long seconds before he finally turned to face her.

She was watching him with those big chestnut coloured eyes.

"I'll do what you want me to. I'll pretend that she's you. But don't tell me to love her. I love you. Not her." He said strongly.

She walked around the bed until she stood in front of him. She wrapped her fingers around his right hand and brought it up to her lips. She brushed his fingers lightly before closing her eyes and hugging his palm against her cheek.

"I love you too. But she's your wife. She doesn't deserve this. What we've been doing for the last four years. It isn't fair to her. Forget me and love her and your child like they're your world."

There was silence for a minute as the two simply stood there silently, looking at each other and memorizing every second spent together in these hidden nights.

"You should go." she said painfully.

Draco nodded his head but didn't move. He watched her smile a sad smile before she laid a brief kiss on the palm of his hand. It dropped back to his side when she apparated out of the suite…Out of his life.

Draco stared at the bed where they'd lay just a few minutes ago before he too, apparated back to Malfoy Manor.

ooo

His wife was lying on her side in their marital bed. Her eyes were closed, chest moving slightly as she breathed in shallow breaths of air. Her arm was curled protectively against her stomach, ready to defend their unborn child even in sleep.

Draco stepped out of his clothes quickly before he lifted the sheets from the bed and slipped in. Quietly, he moved until he lay in the middle of the bed and turned on his side to face his wife's back. She lay on the very edge of the bed…she always lay on the edge.

Reaching out his left arm, Draco wrapped it around her body and pulled her towards him. He knew she awoke from the instant stiffness that overtook her body. Ignoring it, he settled her against his chest.

The position was so very familiar. He'd done it hundreds of time with _her_. And yet it took a few seconds for Draco to accommodate the differences in their bodies. His wife was taller than she was. His wife was thinner than she was. His wife…was his wife.

Remembering his promise to _her_, Draco tightened the arm around his wife's waist and squeezed once. His lips moved to give her a small kiss on her temple before he drifted off to sleep.

His wife's hand lay over his own and she rubbed the skin on his arm twice, causing the skin there to tingle. She placed her palm over his before she too drifted away to the land of dreams.

In the slight firelight, their wedding rings glinted and lit up the dark room.

* * *

_Author's Note: My this was quite depressing wasn't it? I'll leave it up to you to decide who plays the role of wife and who plays the role of mistress. Until next time, Curiositykils._

_P.S. I'd like to take a moment to thank one of my readers chrysalise who has undertaken the challenge of translating the oneshots in this collection into French. For more info check out my profile page!  
_


	26. Revenge Part III

**Revenge Part III**

**Sequel to Revenge Part II  
**

**2451 words**

**Rating: M**

**

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**

Hermione sat on the old wooden bench in the Weasley's back meadow and watched the sun set over the fields. From where she was sitting, she could hear the noisy bustle coming from inside the Burrow. There were so many people and yet Hermione had never felt so detached from all of them.

Unconsciously, the fingers on her right hand drifted over the faint scar on her right cheek. Even though the skin was now nearly completely smoothed over, Hermione felt it tingle as she drew out the jagged flesh with her forefinger.

Seven months later and she could still feel the quick slash of knife that had altered her face forever. Hermione shivered as a tingle ran up her spine.

Remembering her counsellor's words, she took in a deep breath with her nose and exhaled through her mouth. Once. Twice. All the while, her fingers were clenched into tight fists next to her.

"Mione!"

Hermione jumped from the call of her name. She rapidly turned around, her heart clamoring to escape from her chest at the startle. Even when she saw the familiar figure walking towards her, it continued thumping against her rib cage.

The sun bounced off Ginny's red hair and Hermione was immediately flashed back to that night.

_The flames. _

_She could feel them licking at her skin. _

_Warmth and heat hitting her…suffocating her so much that she couldn't take air into her lungs. _

_Her eyes were open in the barest of slits and even that stung with unimaginable pain. _

_Hermione looked around, disorientated. Where had she dropped Draco's wand? Where was it? _

_And then an even more alarming thought entered her mind. Where was he? _

_Swirling around, she turned to face the area in which she had cursed him with his own wand. The whole area was alight with flames. His body invisible through the fiery inferno that was steadily creeping closer to her. _

_Sobbing, Hermione quickly turned back around and dropped to her knees. With her heart set to burst from her chest with the adrenaline pumping through her body, she scrabbled around blindly on the floor, searching for that one piece of crooked, thin wood that would be her savior. _

_There was a blast behind her and Hermione cried out in alarm. Her hands moved to protect her head as her body instinctively curled up into a fetal position. When she felt no curse hitting her, she whipped her head around. _

_Her whole body froze for a moment as she saw a black figure standing in the entrance of the room she had been forced to remain in for the last three hours. _

_Crying out in defeat, she immediately stood and stepped backwards, arms splayed out in front of her, ready to fight Draco. _

_And then the most miraculous thing happened. The wand which had been pointed directly at her chest, started to sprout jets of water around the room. _

_Hermione watched the action in a daze before she realised that this was her chance to get out…While Draco was busy trying to crazily quench the flames. _

_Standing up on her shaky legs, she immediately ran towards him. When he moved to stop her and caught her in his hold, she beat at his head and chest with small fists. _

_"Mione…Mione! It's me!" _

_Swaying, Hermione momentarily stopped her actions as she heard the strange words. Looking up she saw not the grey eyes that would haunt her for the rest of her life, but an emerald green pair. Eyes that would save her. _

_She slumped in Harry's arms and not a second later she felt a familiar squeezing as Harry apparated them both to safety._

"Hey, you okay?" Ginny asked as she came within normal hearing range.

Hermione couldn't respond. Her gaze fixated on the fire surrounding Ginny's head.

"Mione." Ginny repeated as she took a seat next to Hermione.

It was the touch of Ginny's hand that jolted Hermione out of her memories. Flinching and being unable to mask it, Hermione saw Ginny immediately retract her hand. A mixture of sorrow and exasperation danced across her delicate features.

"Sorry." Hermione said belatedly.

Ginny merely studied her for a brief moment before shaking her head. "Forget it." She said with a half wave of her hand.

Hermione had to force herself to remain fixed in her position as Ginny's hand treaded dangerously within her personal space. She didn't want to see that look of frustration again.

A look which was becoming all too frequent in the last few months. A look, which asked just how long Hermione would flinch or startle at every little thing? A friend's casual touch. A friend's casual call of her name when Hermione was engrossed in her memories.

Memories of _him_.

She wanted to scream. Yell loudly and ask her Wizarding family on when they had allocated a period of time for Hermione to get over that night and move on. When they had decided that the time had come for them to no longer help her willingly, but because she was a burden. A burden that they didn't know how to help anymore.

"Ron told me about Tuesday night."

Ginny's voice broke through and when Hermione registered the words, she stiffened and her cheeks flushed in mortification. Ginny must have seen the betrayal in her eyes because she hurried to explain.

"Please don't blame him Hermione. I badgered it out of him. The two of you have been avoiding each other all afternoon." Ginny hesitated before continuing. "I…just…why? Why would you... when you know you aren't ready yet?"

Hermione smiled sadly before turning to look at her friend in the eye. "Because it's been _seven_ months…And I should have moved on by now."

When Hermione saw Ginny move to shake her head at her words, Hermione halted her actions. "Don't Ginny. We both know it's true. It's just…I can't…" her voice broke at the end of the sentence.

Her heart broke when she saw Ginny make to place a comforting hand over hers, before deciding it would be a bad idea and moving her hand back to her own lap.

"I can't forget it Ginny. Everything is stuck in my head…Every time I close my eyes…Every time I blink; my mind goes back to that night. I can still feel everything that he did. I see it every time I look in the mirror. I feel his hands every time someone touches me. Why isn't that gone by now? It should have gone." Hermione cried silently.

Scrubbing away the tears on her cheeks, Hermione took in another few breaths.

"I thought if I slept with Ron…then…my body would…I don't know, realise that not everyone wanted to hurt me. I thought that if I felt Ron's touch then I could forget his."

"It didn't work." Ginny stated.

Hermione shook her head in agreement. "It was all I could do to keep my body still, inside of letting my panic escape. As soon as Ron kissed me I wanted to hurt him…but I fisted my hands and let him continue. If I could just get to the end…"

_Hermione felt sick as Ron lowered his body slowly over hers. _

_"Are you okay?" he asked her unsurely. _

_With tightly shut eyes, Hermione simply nodded her head in rapid succession. When she felt Ron's lips touch hers, coaxing unsuccessfully for her to part her own lips and let him in, Hermione forced her body to relax. _

_A whole excruciating six and a half minutes later, when Ron had thrust into her body for the last time, Hermione took in a deep breath. _

_That breath quickly turned into a choked cry. That choked cry quickly turned into body wracking sobs. _

_Ron immediately leapt off Hermione. "Mione?" _

_Hermione snagged the bedsheet so it covered her naked body, tears falling from her eyes so rapidly that she could barely make out Ron's form. _

_"P-Please…Leave…"_

_"Mione. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Shit." He muttered to himself. "Do you want me to get Ginny?" _

_Hermione shook her head strongly. She didn't want anyone to see her like this. _

_"Please…Just go." She begged. _

_"I can't leave!" Ron said as he charmed his clothes back on before reaching out a hand to comfort her. _

_Hermione let out a keen cry that had them both flinching away from each other. _

_"Please! GO!" she yelled. _

_Not a second later she heard Ron's pop as he apparated back to his own apartment. _

There was silence for a minute as the two watched the sun dip that little bit lower over the horizon.

"It wasn't fair on Ron." Ginny finally said quietly. "He feels like he raped you or something."

"I know." Hermione whispered painfully. "I was going to talk to him today…but I didn't know what to say. I'm so embarrassed."

"It will get better." Ginny said firmly.

"No, it won't. Because he's still out there somewhere. He's watching me Ginny. I can feel his stare. Even now… I'm scared." Hermione admitted ashamed.

"It's okay to be scared. And you don't have to worry about him. The Auror's will find him. And with the patrols they've set up…he won't get within touching distance of you, ever again." she reassured.

Hermione scoffed. "These are the same Auror's who were going to leave me trapped in a burning building because they weren't sure of the risk in rescuing me? The same Auror's who told me that he'd died in the fire? The same Auror's who have gradually pulled back with their patrols because they don't have the manpower to spend on one case."

_Hermione sat numb as the Auror's talked to Harry and the Weasley's. No…they weren't talking…they were arguing about something. She could tell from the stretch of their mouths and the angry body language. _

_The Auror's hand were outstretched…in a placating manner. They were moving up and down, almost willing Harry and the Weasley's to understand something. _

_In the next second they had given up and turned to talk at her. Hermione could only make out one long garble of noise when they spoke. When they stared at her, evidently waiting for a response of some kind, Hermione just stared back at them blankly. _

_Giving up after a short time, Hermione watched them dissapparate. _

_It took her a good two hours to work through the haze and actually take in what Ginny was explaining to her. _

_Not two hours after that, when Hermione was sat alone resting in one of the bedrooms in Harry and Ginny's apartment, an unfamiliar bird flew up to the window. Depositing its letter, it quickly lifted its wings and flew away again, not waiting for an owl treat or a sip of water. _

_Picking up the discarded letter that lay by her feet, Hermione unfolded it and read the short words. _

_"Hello love. Miss me?" _

"He's out there Ginny. Just because he hasn't sent another note in months doesn't mean he's given up. He wants me with him or he wants me dead. He's biding his time until he can get to me again."

"We still don't know if the note was from him. It could have been sent from some wierdo who wanted to scare you. And besides, we're still here. Harry, Ron, Mum, Dad." Ginny reassured.

"I can't live with you forever. Eventually I'm going to have to move on…I think that it's time I left." Hermione whispered.

"Okay, we'll help. We can find you an apartment close to ours and then with all of us setting up wards, you'll be living in the safest place in the Wizarding World."

Hermione shook her head at Ginny's mistaken impression. "I meant leave the Wizarding World. Go back home…to my parents."

Ginny gasped. "Hermione, no. You can't leave."

"I can't stay here…Y-You don't understand. Ever since then…my magic…it's going crazy. I can't control it anymore."

"What?" Ginny exclaimed. "Why haven't you told anyone?"

"I've spent my whole life trying to prove to everyone that I belong here. In this world. That I may be Muggle-born but I can do magic just as well as any Pureblood. If I said that I can't even do the simplest of spells then…"

"…But going back to the Muggle World?"

The sun dipped completely beneath the green fields. "The Muggle World doesn't have _him_ in it. That's all I want."

ooo

**Four Years Later- Muggle London**

Hermione sat on the old wooden bench in Hyde Park and watched her daughter frolic around happily. She could hear the noisy bustle from the other young children whose families had decided to make the most of the late September warmth and picnic outside too. The bustle faded from Hermione's head as she focused in on her daughter's tinkling laughter.

The sun bounced off her red hair and Hermione stiffened before straightening from the cocoon of her husband's arms.

"Love, is everything alright?" he asked, concern weaving into his tone.

Hermione shook her head before smiling at her husband. "Yes. I-I think I was remembering something."

She felt her husband stiffen before he moved to bring Hermione back closer to him. "What is it?" he asked.

Hermione tried to remember but as usual, all she was left with was a mesh of haziness. "I've lost it." She said as she shook her head.

Placing her head on her husband's warm chest, she sighed.

"I thought I saw a woman's face. She had Rose's red hair. I wish I could remember who she was."

"Love, don't go pushing yourself. You know what Dr Santiago said. Your memories will come back when the time's right. Just be glad that you're actually here. The pictures of the car accident." He shuddered before continuing, "I hate thinking about how close I came to losing you…And Rose."

"I know...it's just frustrating." Hermione admitted.

She let her husband's fingers soothe her as he ran them through her curly hair and massaged her nape lightly. Hermione's gaze fell back onto her daughter and she thanked God that Rose had survived the accident. Losing her memories was something she would gladly endure if it meant her daughter lived.

"Maybe I have ancestors from Ireland." Hermione mused idly. After all; it was the only explanation to her daughter's red hair when her parents were blond and brunette.

"Maybe."

Hermione felt her husband shift as he reached into the back pocket of his jeans. When he extracted a thin piece of crooked wood, she glanced up at him amusingly.

"What's that?"

He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "Nothing for you to worry about love. Close your eyes."

Hermione's eyes twinkled in amusement before she conceded. Her husband sure did like his funny little games.

_"Obliviate."_

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_Author's Note: Review? And feel free to PM me if you have any questions. Until next time, Curiositykils_


	27. Just a Rut?

**Just a Rut?  
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**Sequel to Rut  
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**538 words**

**Rating: K  
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_Dedicated to Star-Of-Hearts_

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Hermione lay awake in her bed and studied the ceiling.

Was it supposed to be like this?

They'd only be married for three years. Yes the honeymoon period was over but…she'd never thought it would have been like this before they'd gotten married. Not after thirty years let alone three.

She breathed in and exhaled deeply before turning her body to face the empty space where her husband should have lain.

Her eyes flickered up to the clock on the bedside table and the sight caused her to sigh sadly.

Yet again, her husband was not home. Yet again, he'd missed the dinner she had prepared in order to rekindle their relationship.

It had been a whole year since they'd admitted their marriage was in trouble. Hermione remembered the promise she had silently made to get this marriage back on track.

A promise that had lasted precisely four months and twenty-one days.

For after that, it had felt like Draco had given up. Choosing to spend more and more time at work than at home. Work where his secretary always seemed to be present with a sympathetic ear.

Hermione gritted her teeth at where her thoughts had once again led. Draco wouldn't cheat on her. She knew he wouldn't hurt her like that. But recently, her thoughts seemed to stray to that to that parasitic thought more often than not.

It was the only excuse she could blame because she definitely wasn't ready to accept the possibility that Draco didn't love her anymore.

A few seconds later, Hermione heard Draco apparate in on the landing. Immediately, she turned her body away from the door. Away from Draco's side of the bed.

She heard him creep into the room, trying to be silent so he wouldn't wake her. Hermione listened to his every moment which extra sensitive ears.

When he finally slipped into the bed, she tightened her hand on the duvet.

"It's late." She said quietly.

She heard Draco's breathing hitch as he realised she was awake.

"You're awake." He stated unnecessarily.

"Mmm."

"…I had a lot of work to do."

"You didn't send an Owl. I was worried." She said, wanting Draco to feel guilty.

"I'm sorry. I forgot."

"Are you going to be late tomorrow?"

"...Probably. Don't wait up for me; I know you have an early start on Friday."

Hermione didn't say anything for a few seconds.

"Are you happy?" she asked him as she stared into the still darkness of the room. She didn't dare look at him, in fear that she see something that would further break her heart.

He didn't reply for a moment before wearily giving his answer. "No. Are you?"

For once crazy moment, Hermione considered saying "Yes". "No." she finally said truthfully.

Once again their admission settled in between them. A heavy compression that seemed to press down on Hermione's chest until she couldn't take in a full breath of air.

"Do you love me?" Hermione whispered before immediately regretting it.

"…Yes."

And then Hermione knew. Tears immediately gathered in her eyes and she carefully made small movements so that she could discreetly wipe them away with the corner of the duvet.

Her husband may still love her…but he wasn't _in_ love with her. Not anymore.

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_Author's Note: Thank You so much for all the wonderful reviews for the last chapter.  
_

_As for this chapter, it was written for Star-Of-Hearts who requested a possible sequel to Rut and which I complied with since she was my lucky 350th reviewer! So if you liked this, you have her to thank!_

_Thank you for reading and until next time, Curiositykils.  
_


	28. Working Relations

**Working Relations**

**4052 words**

**Rating: T**

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Malfoy, Malfoy and Zabini Incorporated.

The sole bane that existed in Hermione's life.

Correction- the sole bane that _had_ existed in Hermione's life. Until she'd finally had enough and handed in her resignation four weeks ago.

At the time, she had vowed she would never again set foot in the building where she had been demeaned for so long. And yet here she was. Standing in front of its ornate doors and gritting her teeth in anger at the ridiculous situation she would no doubt have to face when she stepped inside.

Hermione sighed before taking in another fortifying breath. Four stress-free, frustration- free and more particularly, annoyance-free weeks disappearing in a poof of smoke.

And the source of all those draining feelings? One set of horrible, heinous bosses.

Lucius Malfoy, Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini.

If Hermione were to be honest with herself- something which she was in no mood for right now- she would admit that Lucius Malfoy was a perfectly satisfactory boss.

They'd had a polite professional relationship on the few occasions that they'd worked together.

But the fact that he had donated half of his DNA and thus created the spawn of the devil, well, Hermione figured she would forever be holding that above Lucius Malfoy's head for the rest of his natural born life.

…And possibly after it too.

Especially since that spawn had single handedly ruined her career.

Technically, Hermione had only ever caught glimpses of Blaise Zabini in the time she had worked for MMZ. He was head of operations in Italy and had his own lawyer who was experienced with Wizarding laws both in England and overseas.

Zabini and the spawn were friends. Therefore by association, Hermione had decided she would hold that against Zabini too.

The _spawn_.

Draco bloody Malfoy.

If there ever was a poster boy for a wizard gaining his position in a company because of who his father was, then Draco Malfoy was him.

Hermione shook her head in disgust at the injustice as she stepped into the cool building. She had purposely dressed down from the usual blouse, skirt and jacket she had worn whilst working here. Her white summer dress floated around her knees, but it was the click clack of her new _I - may – not - have - a - job - but - it's - better - than - working - for - the - spawn_ shoes that made passing wizards and witches glance her way.

The heels made sharp staccato sounds on the marble floor as she made her way across to the express elevator. The steady noise went against the mantra running through Hermione's head.

Shoes are meant to be worn… The heel is there to make gravitationally challenged witches taller… It is _not_ there to stab the spawn in his non existing heart… Shoes are meant to be worn…

The elevator doors pinged shut and Hermione closed her eyes to center herself. Her foot tapped rapidly against the floor, a habit that had started four years ago and flared up in near presence of the spawn.

Gradually, the mantra faded from her head. In its place, Hermione formulated a list of everything she would demand of Pansy Potter when she returned from her honeymoon.

A favour to a friend only stretched so far. And Pansy was treading the line dangerously. If they hadn't become as close as they had over the last few years, well, Hermione would have not- so-politely declined her request.

"Please Mione…" the witch in question had begged from her international Floo call. "Draco needs help; he wouldn't have contacted me otherwise. You know how he's been acting…"

Hermione had scoffed. Whose fault was that? If the spawn wanted to act like the jerk he'd been in Hogwarts then he deserved everything he got.

"…And I can't get to him. It's chaos here. It was difficult enough arranging this Floo call. By the time we manage to obtain an international apparation license it might be too late. He didn't say what was wrong!" Her voice had steadily risen to an indiscernible level until it resembled a garbled shriek.

Hermione had been so thankful to hear that both Pansy and Harry were alright, that she had agreed to Pansy's panicked pleas without giving it much thought. She was sure Pansy was regretting requesting a Muggle honeymoon in Africa from Harry and not the Paris and Rome extravaganza he had started looking into. They'd just managed to escape the riots in Tunisia before getting caught up in the protests in Cairo.

The elevator doors pinged open and announced the floor as being Mr L. Malfoy's and Mr D. Malfoy's private offices.

As Hermione stepped out and headed to the spawn's office, she once again cursed at whatever it was that had kept Lucius or Blaise from dealing with the situation instead of her.

She reached the spawn's office and hesitated. Merlin only knew what she would find on the other side of this door. Pansy's urgent voice rang in her ear again and Hermione sighed for what seemed like the umpteenth time that morning.

Had she mentioned how the spawn had ruined her career? Was she really going to help him with whatever problem he had most likely exaggerated into over importance?

Your heel is not a potential murder weapon... Your heel is not a potential murder weapon.

She would make sure he wasn't in the arms of death (unfortunately) before going back home…to try to find another job at a company which would ignore the spawn's attempts at blackballing her name.

The selfish bastard.

She gave a single knock for the sake of politeness before she pushed open the door…to find herself staring at an empty room.

"Malfoy?" she called out loudly.

She took satisfaction in saying his name without the prefix of Mr. attached to it. When she'd first started working at MMZ, fresh out of Law school, the spawn had taken great satisfaction in making her call him _Mr_ Malfoy.

There was a pained groan from behind the monstrous piece of wood that the spawn considered to be his desk.

What in Merlin's beard?

Hermione walked over to the desk with narrowed eyes, prepared for whatever trick the spawn might be pulling. When she was close enough, she stood on her tip toes and peered over the table.

She was momentarily frozen in shock as her eyes took in the spawn- a very naked spawn- lying prone on the carpeted floor.

A strategically placed folder was the only thing stopping Hermione from being blinded.

"Granger. And how are you this afternoon?" the spawn questioned in a nonchalant tone.

Hermione simply lifted an eyebrow to show that she saw through his blasé attitude. For the first time in four years, she finally held the power in their relationship, and after the hell he had caused her in the last few weeks, Hermione planned to revel in the situation.

"Tut tut Malfoy." Hermione said. Her eyes flickered briefly to the green folder he was holding stiffly. "I'm not sure Mr Davidson would appreciate what you're currently doing with his file. But each to their own I suppose." She said.

Unfortunately her lips twitched in amusement and the spawn's eyes narrowed at the motion.

For a moment nothing was said as his slits of grey eyes burned into her own whiskey coloured pair.

Hermione's feet started tapping away again. Only this time she was in control of the motion. "Are you planning on telling me why I received a panic call from Pansy this morning? I have important things to do today. Unlike some." Hermione said as she pointedly eyed him his form again.

There was another piercing burn before the spawn spoke in a steel laced voice. "Unlike some, I have a sex life."

Hermione's eyes narrowed at his words. "Unlike some, my sex life involves two people and not a folder and my own hand." She retorted.

"I wasn't using a fucking folder. The bint left!"

Hermione morphed her features into faux sympathy. "Scare her off did you Malfoy? You know there are dangerous consequences to having sex with every witch in the Wizarding World. You were bound to catch something sooner or later. You really should go to St Mungo's and get it sorted out instead of hiding it."

Malfoy spluttered ineloquently for a brief moment before catching himself. "I haven't had sex with every witch in the Wizarding World."

The hard stare that accompanied his serious words briefly tilted Hermione off her axis.

She cleared her throat. "So are you going to tell me what happened?"

Malfoy smirked. "What do you think?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You really don't want to know what I'm thinking Malfoy. Just tell me." Hermione replied, disgusted at the image he was projecting into her head.

Malfoy smirked. "Can't wait to hear the juicy details Granger?"

Hermione ground her teeth together. Mentally, she added a voluntary contribution of 1000 galleons to her chosen charity on Pansy's list.

"Let's get one thing straight Malfoy. I don't work for MMZ anymore. Which means it's no longer my job to be forced to hear what depravities you've gotten up to or who you've done them with. You know what- forget it- don't tell me. I don't even care. I'll just drop you off at St Mungo's then I can go on with my plan to remove you from my life."

"So I was right then? You did leave because of me?"

Hermione hitched in a breath at the sudden solemness of his question. As she stared into his grey eyes, she remembered her last day of work.

The secretaries had thrown her a leaving party during their lunch hour.

Malfoy, for some reason, had decided to venture out of his office and had wandered over to their private party. Despite knowing Hermione's feelings on her soon to be ex boss, the secretaries had no choice but to politely ask him on whether he wished to join them. His name was on the overhead of every piece of parchment in the building after all.

What had surprised Hermione was that the spawn had actually agreed... and that he had been perfectly nice.

She hadn't been surprised when their lunch hour had come to an end and the Malfoy she knew and hated had come out from his temporary and oh so short hibernation.

He had followed Hermione when she had got up to leave. When they were alone in the elevator, he'd asked her the same question. Whether she was leaving because of him.

Hermione couldn't remember if his tone had been serious or not. After four years spent dodging his verbal attacks, her guard was permanently up around him, and so her mind had immediately jumped to the assumption that he was goading her on purpose. That if she admitted the truth, he would take it as some sort of personal victory. After four years he had finally got her to snap.

And so she had instantly insisted that her decision had nothing to do with him whatsoever.

Now, as she looked down into his somber eyes, she wasn't so sure on whether he had been purposely prickling her that day.

Sighing, she finally spoke. "Yes Malfoy you were right. I left because of you. I left because when I joined MMZ, I had thought I'd be dealing with real company issues. Issues that I spent three years studying for at Law school. Issues that involved more than getting injunctions left, right and centre to stop your whores from talking to the Prophet and spilling the gory details about your sex life. A problem much more easily solved if you could manage to keep your cock in your pants."

Once again, for a few moments, there was nothing said between the two. Hermione's foot began tapping away rapidly. Malfoy looked away from her and seemed to drift off into his own world.

"We were having sex on the desk and we fell off." He finally said with averted eyes. "Well I fell off. She fell on me. I think I've broken my hip. She took some pictures of me before apparating out."

Hermione digested his words whilst she kept her mouth firmly shut. She wanted to yell at him, tell him that it was the middle of the day for Merlin's sake. Couldn't he control himself for a few hours and use a bed like a normal person?

But she kept her mouth closed. A sarcastic "Classy," nearly escaped.

Instead, Hermione merely charmed his clothes back onto his body. When Malfoy lifted Mr Davidson's folder, she wrinkled her nose before levitating it with her wand so she could set it back into its rightful place without touching it.

"Aren't you going to say something?" Malfoy spat out.

Hermione scoffed at both his words and tone. "What exactly do you want me to say Malfoy? That I'm surprised? Like I said, it's not my job to clear up your messes anymore."

She wordlessly charmed the lower half of his body to freeze so that she wouldn't further his injury when she moved him. Begrudgingly, she gave in to the angel sitting on her right shoulder and cast a recently discovered pain charm on him.

"We haven't hired anyone to replace you yet."

Hermione froze. "I handed in my resignation two weeks before I left. I gave you plenty of notice."

She expected him to reply but when it was clear he wasn't planning to anytime soon, she merely rolled her eyes before bending down and grabbing the shoulder of his robes.

The next time she opened her eyes, the two of them were standing (lying on the floor in Malfoy's case) in the busy waiting room of St Mungo's. The notoriously unwelcoming Welcome Witch eyed Hermione with bored eyes.

All that changed when she caught sight of Malfoy. Letting out a squeal, she stood from her chair and leaned over her desk to stare at him with wide eyes.

"Oh Merlin!" she said breathlessly as her hand fluttered around her throat. "Draco Malfoy! What happened? How can I help?"

"He might have broken his hip. He fell over." Hermione answered her questions briefly.

Not that the witch was listening to her. She had run around her desk and was now leaning down next to Malfoy.

Within a minute, two Healers had appeared and Malfoy had been levitated onto a bed. Hermione wasn't surprised at the royal treatment she was witnessing; Lucius Malfoy had made several considerable donations to the hospital in the past, but it was still a disgusting thing to watch when unwell children patiently looked on from their rickety chairs.

"I'll just be going then." she said to Malfoy.

"No Granger, wait-"

He was interrupted by the Healers as they began taking his history and ushering him to the right floor.

Hermione belatedly followed, after adding another 2000 galleons to Pansy's list.

Thankfully she didn't have to wait long before Malfoy was being discharged. She had barely settled herself into a chair in the waiting room, an old copy of Witch Weekly in her hands, before the ward receptionist had informed her that Malfoy's broken bone had been healed.

Putting the magazine back, Hermione stood and wandered out of the room. Malfoy was already walking up to her with his usual arrogant swagger. Hermione's own defenses flew back up again.

"You waited." He said as she came to a stop in front of her.

"You told me to." Hermione frowned.

"Yes well…I'm fine now. It took the medi-witch a few seconds to heal me. You don't need to linger any longer."

Hermione merely stared at him in astoundment for two seconds, before she rolled her eyes and shook her head. Merlin- had she actually been expecting a thank you? Had she momentarily forgotten what a selfish jerk the spawn was?

"Such an idiot." She mumbled angrily to herself before she maneuvered around him and began walking away.

"Excuse me? Did you say something?"

Hermione grit her teeth before swirling around. "Yes Malfoy. I did say something. I said that I was an idiot for thinking that you are anything other than a selfish immature wizard who is where he is today because of his father's money."

Hermione saw Malfoy's eyes glint with fury but she steadfastly continued. "Do you even care what people say about you? And I'm not talking about in the paper or random people on the streets. I'm talking about the people who work for you. You're a laughing stock in your own company! You parade your bints around in your office and then expect your staff to take you seriously?"

Malfoy walked up to her angrily and stood so close to her face, she could feel his angry pants against her cheek.

"We are not doing this here." He snarled.

Hermione snapped. "Why? Are you suddenly worried about your image? What are you going to do? Blackball me further with every company hiring right now."

A quick flash of guilt played across his face and Hermione laughed bitterly.

"Yes, I know all about that. It wasn't enough that you've made me look like a horrid lawyer whose only use is keeping your sex life out of the papers but to actually go around telling them not to hire me?"

There was another bitter laugh from Hermione.

"I can't believe I even came to help you today. I can't believe you even thought you could ask Pansy for help when she's on her honeymoon for Merlin's sake. You've acted like a complete arsehole to her recently. You act like an arsehole to everyone and yet you expect them to drop everything to help you when you want it? You're dismissive of people's feelings. You're mean and self-centered. You treat people like they're below you. As if they're worth nothing. Why? Where has that got you? Because as far as I can see, when you're forced to contact someone you profess to hate when you're in trouble, then you evidently don't have anyone around who gives a damn about you."

Hermione stopped speaking when she ran out of air. Her chest was heaving slightly and it was a millisecond later that she felt shock wash over her body.

Merlin, she had just unleashed every single hateful feeling she'd been harbouring against Malfoy over the last four years, all in the space of thirty seconds.

With hesitant and guilty eyes she stared at him. She couldn't make out the look on his face. There were still traces of anger, but underneath it all there was something else.

It was with a startle that Hermione realised what it was.

Hurt.

Immediately her mouth opened to apologise. Malfoy saw what she was about to do and his jaw clenched.

"I'm so-"

Before Hermione could finish, he'd pushed past her and walked off down the corridor. She watched him go until he turned the corner and disappeared from her line of sight. A second later she heard a pop of apparation.

Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat and gulped in a few more breaths of air to calm her rapidly beating chest. When she could actually remember the three steps of apparation, she followed them.

The flash of green coming from the fireplace was the first thing Hermione registered when she entered her sitting room. Pansy's worried face was etched in the flames.

"Oh Mione. Thank Merlin. I've been trying to get a hold of you for the last hour! Is everything okay? Is Draco hurt?"

Physically, yes. Emotionally... Hermione grew even guiltier.

"He's fine Pans. He broke his hip but I took him to St Mungo's and it was healed in under a minute."

Hermione saw the visible relief on Pansy's face. "Oh thank Merlin." Hermione lost her face for a minute as she turned to the right, "He's alright Harry," Hermione heard her say. When Pansy turned back to her, she had a smile on her face. "I know he's been behaving horribly over these last few months but I would never want him to be in any pain. I'm so glad everything's fine."

Hermione smiled vaguely.

Pansy's face in the Floo was replaced by Harry's. They chatted for a few moments whilst Harry explained the new arrangements he'd made so he and Pansy could come back home a few weeks early. Hermione nodded her head at his words before her attention was pulled to the owl fluttering outside her window.

"Oh Harry. I have an owl." she said.

"No problem. I'll see you in two days." Harry told her.

"Definitely. Be careful- the both of you."

"We will. Bye." His face popped out before the flames turned orange.

Hermione walked over to the owl and took the letter from its beak. Showing the bird to the bowl in the corner so it could drink some water, Hermione stared at the letter in her hand. Noticing the emblem to be that of MacRieve and Co, the Law Firm she'd had an unsuccessful interview with a few days ago (coincidentally, the same Law Firm where Hermione had overhead herself being described as "that witch from MMZ that they'd received an Owl about") Hermione felt her heart drop further into her stomach.

She had been expecting this. The formal letter of rejection to accompany the informal rejection she had seen in her potential new employer's eyes when he'd asked her whom she'd previously worked for.

Breaking the wax seal, Hermione skimmed through the first few lines. When her eyes hit the word contract she froze. With puzzled eyes she started reading the letter again. By the time she reached the end, her lungs were full of surprised gasps of air and a beaming smile was plastered across her face.

They'd changed their mind! They were offering her the job! If she agreed with the contract they'd be sending then she could start as early as next week! Oh Merlin...

Why had they changed their mind? Did they realise how perfect she would be for the job? How hard she would be willing to work? Did they no longer care about Malfoy blackballing her name?

And then another thought hit her.

Had Malfoy stopped ostracising her with other companies?

Had her words actually gotten through to him?

Was this his way of saying thank you?

Hermione collapsed onto the chair, letter tightly fisted in her hand.

Did it matter why they'd offered her the job? All that really mattered was that come next week, she would be working in an building where Malfoy and his antics would have nothing to do with her work. Her plan to cut him out of her life had succeeded!

Hermione smiled to herself as she reached for a quill to reply to the letter.

ooo

Draco Malfoy smiled as he signed the contract in front of him. MMZ was now the proud new owner of MacRieve and Co. He couldn't wait to see the look on Granger's face on her first day of work. If she had come to him and told him that she wasn't happy, Draco liked to believe that they could have possibly worked something out.

A situation that pleased both of them. He would have been willing to let her handle more of the company contracts, as long as she still had some spare time to deal with his personal problems. She was an expert at it after all.

But the chit had gone all high-handed and handed in her resignation. Over the last four weeks, Draco had actually missed having her around. He had missed the infuriating looks she directed his way and the subtle verbal sparring they'd engaged in.

Contrary to Granger's opinion of his character, he wasn't a completely selfish arsehole. As soon as he had come back from St Mungo's, he'd sent an owl to MacRieve and Co. requesting that they offer her the job.

But he wasn't completely altruistic either.

This way they both got what they wanted. Well kind of... Granger had mentioned something on never wanting to see him again.

Draco would have to figure out a way to change that. Blaise's plan of making her jealous by sleeping with a lot of witches and then parading them in front of her certainly hadn't done him any favours.

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_Author's Note: Thank you for reading. I hoped you enjoyed reading something lighter considering I've been sending chapters of angst your way recently. As some of you may have noticed, I pinched the surname MacRieve from Kresley Cole's Immortals After Dark Series. 14 days until the latest book comes out and counting!  
_


	29. A Day of Team Breaking

**A Day of Team-Breaking**

**9310 words**

**Rating: T**

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_Dedicated to Halamdrie without whom no-one would be reading this oneshot since the site wouldn't let me upload it. Another thank you to Hotel Babylon for the idea!  
_

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It was 08:30 on Monday morning.

At 08:31, Hermione Granger apparated into HA8, Diagon Alley's trendiest and most sophisticated bar and restaurant of which she had been General Manager for the last six months.

At 08:32 she was holding a double espresso in her right hand whilst her left held six detailed reports on the last minute booking she had arranged for Friday night when the Brown- Zabini engagement party had been "postponed".

At 08:33 the beginning of her staff had started apparating in for their Monday morning meeting which was being held earlier than usual. Hermione smiled and exchanged the normal morning pleasantries with her colleagues but her gaze and mind were on the reports in her hand. She was also eyeing the stack of unopened mail that needed sorting through.

At 08:34 her mobile (Hermione thanked Merlin that the Wizarding World had seen the usefulness of mobiles over owls and departmental memos) starting ringing. She took a bracing sip of hot caffeine, savored the bittersweet taste in her mouth before swallowing. Two seconds later she was on the phone with the restaurant's produce supplier whilst he informed her that there had been a problem with the latest order HA8 had placed. Hermione sighed as she simultaneously glanced at her watch and tried to make sure that tomorrow's delivery contained everything that would be needed for the rest of the week.

At 08:45 she was seated in the staff meeting room with all five other attendees as she waited somewhat impatiently for Draco Malfoy, new(ish) owner of HA8, to make an appearance so she could begin. She looked at the people sitting around the round table and reassured herself that they would be able to pull off Friday's event in the space of four days.

"Is everything okay with the order? I have a grapefruit soufflé on this week's menu and I cannot do it without pink grapefruit." Jean's voice with its thick French accent broke through Hermione's nervous musings.

She turned to look at the Head Chef and smiled. "Don't worry, you'll have your pink grapefruit. And everything else for this week's menu."

"Since the Brown- Zabini party was cancelled on Friday I was wondering if I could book the day off? I was going to visit Mom and Dad over the weekend and an extra day to do the housework before I go would be great." asked Lucy.

Hermione glanced at the clock on the wall, registered Draco's lateness and decided to start the meeting without him.

"I'm sorry." She said as she turned to Lucy and cleared her throat to indicate the meeting had begun. Her staff sat up straighter in their chairs and grabbed their pen and notebooks. "Since the event on Friday was cancelled we stood to lose quite a bit of money, even with the non-refundable deposit, and so I managed to book a last minute replacement. We'll now be hosting Fiona Davenport's 30th Birthday Party."

There were gasps of astonishment, mainly from Lucy and Heather who was Head of PR for HA8.

"Fiona Davenport?" Lucy murmured in excitement. "Oh Merlin. On second thought's I don't want Friday off."

"Isn't it late notice for a birthday party?" asked John, HA8's maître d.

Hermione smiled at his sensible question. In his job, John was the first point of contact with the many celebrities in the Wizarding World who picked HA8 over the other bars and restaurants in Diagon Alley and yet he seemed immune to all the glamour.

"They were originally booked with Juniper but Juniper Senior found out that a certain brother of Miss Davenport's was cheating on his little girl and refused to hold the event in his restaurant. Naturally, I was there to offer a suitable solution." Hermione smiled.

"Oooh yes I heard about that. It was in Saturday's Prophet. Damien Davenport was cheating on Ria Juniper with that model from *ITCHES. What's her name again?" Lucy said as she turned to Heather.

Heather's face scrunched up as she too tried to remember the model's name.

"Guliana Westwick." John supplied in a bored voice.

Ignoring Lucy and Heather's chatter on the model, Hermione turned her surprised face towards the man.

A hint of smile betrayed his bored façade. "It's my job to keep up with the inane happenings between these people. It's my job on the line if I accidentally seat them at adjacent tables when they aren't talking to each other."

Hermione shook her head at the explanation. "Right well, regardless of whether Mr Davenport is currently seeing Miss Westwick or not-"

"Sleeping with- not seeing" Lucy corrected.

"-the_ point_ is that since we only have four days to arrange this event to Fiona Davenport's exacting standards, I'm going to need everyone on board. Unfortunately, that means I'll need my Head Waitress here on Friday night."

"No problem. I'll be here." Lucy said with a shake of her head.

Hermione nodded her own before passing out the reports she'd spent all of yesterday compiling.

"I managed to work out the details of what Miss Davenport is looking for when I met up with her and her mother yesterday. All that remains is actually determining whether or not we'll be able to meet their needs in such a short time." she said, worry seeping into her voice.

Hermione turned to Blake, HA8's Bar Manager. "They're requesting French champagne by the bucketload. The exact numbers and the other specialty drinks needed for the party are in the folder. Is that manageable?" she asked.

Blake nodded his head as he opened the folder and perused the list of champagnes and wines. "I know someone who owes me a favour. I'll call it in." he said.

Hermione sighed in relief. At least that was one less thing she needed to worry about. She turned to Heather. "Regarding paparazzi. Miss Davenport will be apparating directly into HA8 however she isn't opposed to posing for a few pictures once she's freshened up."

"I'll leak the fact. If we position the cameras to the side, any pictures taken will have the HA8 sign in the background."

"Perfect." Hermione said before she turned to Lucy. "The guest list is over 150. We'll be closing the entire bar to the public however the restaurant will still be up and running as usual which means extra staff."

"I'll contact the temporary agency. We can use the staff that were originally booked for Friday. They should still be free."

Hermione took in a deep breath before she turned toward Jean, knowing that out of everyone, he would prove to be the most difficult to bring around. "The menu that the Davenport's had agreed with Juniper is in the folder. Look over it and let me know-"

Hermione broke off as the door to the meeting room opened and Draco Malfoy walked into the room. Any other witch or wizard would have momentarily faltered at the fact they had interrupted a meeting and were now the sole attention of the room's occupants but not Draco Malfoy. He merely closed the door behind him and smiled at the Head Staff as his eyes swept around the table.

Finally they landed on Hermione and she forced a smile on her face. "Draco." She said in greeting.

He nodded his head back at her.

"We were expecting you ten minutes ago." She stated.

Draco eyes widened a few millimeters at her statement and his smile hardened slightly. "I didn't realise my presence was mandatory for the meeting to get underway."

Hermione bristled but kept her tongue in check. Draco may be her ex-boyfriend but he was also now the person she answered to.

"I simply thought you might wish to re-introduce yourself to the Head Staff before the meeting started. I assumed you would have something to say to them."

"You assumed correctly but by all means continue with your meeting. I can wait until you've completed your business. After all, HA8 comes first."

With that he conjured up a chair at the side of the room and sat down on it. Legs were crossed and eyes sharpened in assessment.

Hermione cleared her throat to get her thoughts back in check and noticed her Head Staff were now sitting ramrod stiff in their chairs.

"Jean, as I was saying. If you look over the menu and let me know on what is or is not possible I will be able to discuss any alternative dishes with Miss Davenport before the day's end."

For once, the hot tempered Head Chef simply nodded his head in agreement without a fight. Hermione knew his reason for doing so when she saw his furtive glance towards Draco.

She cleared her throat again. "I'll see to the decorations and informing the guests of the change of venue. I think that's it for now. Everyone is aware on what needs to be done so I suggest we get started."

The words were out of her mouth before she realised that Draco still wanted to address the group. With hesitation she turned towards him.

"Um I'm sure you all remember Draco Malfoy. I know that you all met him briefly last month when he bought HA8 but hopefully today will be the time to ask him any questions you have and vice versa?"

Draco ignored the invitation completely. He stood from his chair and walked a few steps until he was stood to the side of Hermione's chair.

"I understand that there was a recent problem with the produce supplier?" he asked as he looked down on her.

Hermione looked up at him with frozen eyes for a few seconds. How in Merlin's beard had he heard about the slight mishap when Hermione herself had only first heard about it less than thirty minutes ago?

"I wouldn't consider it a problem." Hermione said coolly. From the corner of her eye she saw Jean shift uneasily in his chair. "There was just a little confusion in a few items that were ordered for this week but it's all cleared up now."

Hermione didn't mention that the problem had been caused by Jean's inability to complete his produce orders in English and not French. When Draco raised a single eyebrow in a mocking gesture, she had a feeling he was all too aware on just what she had let out of her explanation.

"It seems like there was a lapse in adequate communication to me. And communication is crucial in the successful running of a business." He stopped addressing Hermione and turned to the other staff. "Which is why I've arranged for a leading expert in team building and management to come in today and work with you."

"Team building?" Hermione repeated. She blinked blankly at his revelation for a few seconds before she let out a nervous laugh. "Unfortunately you might not already know that we only have four days to pull out this year's biggest social event. I don't think we'll have the time to play a few games."

Draco's eyes bore into hers. "The exercise will be taking place today and will be compulsory." He stated in a final voice. "For all members of Head Staff."

Hermione bristled. Did the man not understand just how much work needed to be done?

"I really don't think now is the best time for this exercise to take place. I'll need my team around me when this event is being planned-"

"Oh but they will be around you. You will be joining in with the exercise after all."

"Me?" Hermione asked with a frown.

"Yes. You are the General Manager of HA8 are you not? I need to make sure that there aren't any problems anywhere in my staff. I need to make sure that I have the best staff possible running HA8."

His words ruffled the feathers of the others in the room and he turned away from Hermione as they addressed him.

"What does this mean? That if we fail some silly team building game we'll be sacked?" Blake questioned.

"Like I said, I want to make sure I have the right staff and this will be an excellent chance to brush up on some team skills. A well run team need to complement each other."

At the words well run, Draco's eyes flicked back to Hermione's.

"It shouldn't be a problem." He continued. "I'm sure you'll breeze through it." He glanced at his watch before walking towards the doors. "Starting time is ten in the VIP suite. I expect to see you all there." He said before he walked out.

There was silence for a few seconds before it all erupted.

"Are you not happy with my work?" Lucy asked worriedly.

"No, of course I am. You've preformed incredibly well as Head Waitress since you were appointed to the post." Hermione soothed.

"I knew he wanted me out. Ever since his first visit and I gave him his Firewhiskey with rocks instead of neat." Blake said.

Hermione sighed quietly. "I'm sure Draco doesn't want you out because you served him unwanted ice. Look, it will be fine. We work great as a team. So let's just indulge Draco for a few hours and then we can crack on with the real work okay?" Hermione said as she stood from her seat.

The Head Staff slowly stood from their seats and trawled out. The last thing Hermione heard was Lucy's voice.

"I'm not good at tests. It's why I'm a waitress."

ooo

At 10:00, all Head Staff were walking with trepidation to the VIP Suite where the team building and motivation exercises were going to be taking place.

"Oh Merlin, if it's a test I'm copying one of you." Lucy said as they neared the room.

"It won't be a test like that I don't think. How can they determine how we work in a team if we're all doing the test individually?" Heather injected.

"It will be a few hours of some old man speaking some rubbish on how we need to listen to each other better and other Hippogriff dung. We'll be fine." Blake said as he opened the door.

They all froze when they set sight on the young witch standing next to their new boss.

"Old man eh?" Jean murmured into Blake's ear.

Blake rolled his eyes at the Frenchman before moving into the room.

"Everybody, I'd like you to meet Bella Davies. She'll be working with you over the course of today. She's-"

Hermione interrupted Draco momentarily when she slipped into the room. Her hopes of not having her lateness noticed went out the window when she saw Draco's gaze rest on her for half a second before he continued talking, effectively dismissing her in under a second.

"As I was saying, she's sure to be a great help so I'll pass you into her capable hands." Draco finished.

Miss Davies smiled. "Hello."

There were polite murmurs back.

"I understand that some of you may be cynical about who I am and what I do," both Miss Davies and Draco glanced Hermione's way and she stuck her chin out, "but I ask that you approach this with an open mind."

Hermione's mobile chose that inopportune moment to ring. She quickly fumbled for it in the pocket of her trousers before rejecting the call, thus leading it to voicemail.

"Sorry." She apologized.

"Thank You." Bella replied loftily.

Hermione smiled back in a manner which hopefully didn't reveal the annoyance she was currently experiencing.

"We'll have three tasks in all and they'll be spread out over today. The last task will be the main event and will test what you've learnt today. I'm sure you'll all perform wonderfully and I'll have done my job for the day."

Hermione caught Blake's eye and had to hide her smile behind her hand.

"Shall we get started?" Bella asked. Before waiting for anyone's answer she waved her wand and a piece of blue plastic appeared on the floor in front of them. "If you please." She indicated.

Hermione and the rest of her colleagues made their way over to the plastic.

"The goal is to ensure that everyone manages to stay on the sheet without touching the floor when the size of the sheet is slowly reduced."

"So is this how you're planning on deciding who gets sacked. First one off is the first one out the door?" Blake asked.

A wave of Bella's wand cut off his question and caused the sheet to reduce to half its size. Hermione, Lucy and Jean were forced to move closer to Blake, John and Heather who were standing opposite them. Another wave and another reduction in size caused them all to push together.

"Watch your hands." Lucy squealed indignantly.

"This is the most pointless and time wasting thing I've ever seen." Hermione whispered to Blake.

Like a guilty child, Hermione's eyes automatically flicked to Draco to make sure he hadn't heard her. His raised eyebrows and stony expression indicated otherwise.

A few seconds later Hermione's phone started ringing again and she stumbled as she tried to reach into her pocket to get it. Fiona Davenport's name flashed on the small screen.

"Oh it's Fiona. Sorry." Hermione said as she stepped off the plastic. She moved to the side of the room to take the call, oblivious to the fact that her movement had almost caused Jean and Heather to topple off the plastic.

During the time it took for her to finish the call to Fiona and extensively explain that an additional thirty guests would not be a problem, however any later additions could possibly be so, the first task was over.

As she bid Fiona goodbye she heard the cheers in the background to shows it's successful completion.

As the team rejoiced, Hermione was already on the phone to another caller so that invitations could be arranged for the last minute guests. She missed Draco's unimpressed look as she and her team trailed out of the room.

ooo

At 10:45, Hermione was busy working in her office when Blake stepped into the room with a man she had never seen before.

"Hi Hermione. Listen I was wondering if we'd be able to give Zac a job as a waiter?"

Hermione raised her eyebrows at the unusual request. "We haven't advertised any positions." she said before glancing down at the papers in front of her.

"I know, it's just that Zac is an old housemate and he's fallen into some problems. His parents have chucked him out and it will only be for a few weeks until he finds another job." Blake said.

Hermione's eyebrows rose even higher. "Look Blake…and Zac. I'm sorry, but there's really nothing I can do to help you. The budget for waiter staff is tight as it is."

"Surely you can figure out some way to accommodate Zac. He'd be willing to work for reduced wages. Maybe we could use him on Friday night?"

Hermione sighed. She hated having to be the bad guy. "Blake I'm sorry, but you know as well as I do that extra staff always come from the agency." She glanced at Zac's face. "If you give me your CV I'll check around to see if anyone else is hiring right now."

Zac shuffled uncomfortably from one foot to the other.

"Well, he hasn't actually had a proper job since leaving Hogwarts." Blake admitted.

Hermione glanced back to Zac. The man looked to be in his early twenties. Only a few years younger than herself. How could he not have had a job?

"What do you mean by a proper job?" she asked instead.

"Well he worked at his Dad's Cauldron shop for a few months but it didn't work out." Blake informed.

"So you want me to give him a job when he not only hasn't got any hospitality experience but any credible work experience at all." Hermione summarized.

"Look mate it's okay." Zac said. "It was a long shot anyway." He turned to look at Hermione. "Sorry to bother you. It was nice seeing you again Hermione." He said as he made for the door.

Hermione brow puzzled. "Seeing me again?" she asked.

Zac turned and smiled. "Don't remember me eh? Well I didn't really expect you to. I'm Zacharias Smith. We were in the DA together."

Immediately Hermione's mind flew back to her Hogwarts years. She remembered a small annoying boy with mousy brown hair. She then remembered that same boy standing in the middle of the Final Battle at Hogwarts and sending a Stupefy curse to a Death Eater running after her.

She sighed. "Hold on. I might be able to work something out-"

She was interrupted when there was a knock on the door and Heather popped her head in.

"Come in." Hermione told her.

She made her way to Hermione's desk where she deposited a black sack which clinked as it settled on the wooden surface.

"Seems like the restaurant takings from yesterday weren't deposited." She said.

"They were left on the premises overnight?" Hermione asked alarmed.

Sunday might not be HA8's busiest night but any takings were always strictly taken to Gringotts at the end of the night.

"With all the problems with the produce and things, it seems it slipped Jean's mind."

Hermione sighed as she slipped the sack into her desk drawer. "I'll talk to Jean and deposit the money myself."

Heather left and Hermione turned back to Zac. "Today will be probationary. If I'm not happy at the end of the day then…" she let her sentence hang. "Get him a uniform and take him to Lucy." She told Blake.

"Thank you!" Zac said.

Blake smiled his own thanks before the two left her office. Taking in a deep breath, Hermione took another sip of coffee before getting back to work on finding a supplier of the pink heart shaped favour boxes Fiona wanted to give her guests at the end of the night.

ooo

At 11:30, as Hermione was in the kitchens talking to Jean before the early lunchers came through HA8's doors, Draco and Bella entered Hermione's office to review the morning's task.

"So how did they do?" Draco asked as they took a seat on the sofa in the corner of the room.

"It's early days yet but I'm impressed so far. I wanted to ask you about Hermione. Have I done something to offend her?" Bella asked.

"No, you haven't done anything." Draco reassured her. "She just isn't happy with the timing that's all."

"Are you sure she doesn't think that this is all a waste of time?"

Draco laughed. "Don't worry about Hermione. I'll talk her around. I always do."

"Oh, have you worked together for long then?"

Draco smiled. "No, just a month since I bought this place. But there is the fact that we went out for two years."

Bella's eyes widened. "Oh my, that's surprising."

Hermione walked into her office and immediately froze when she spotted Draco and Bella on the sofa.

"Oh sorry. I hope I'm not interrupting." She said as she made her way to her desk.

When she turned back around, both Draco and Bella were standing.

"Not at all. Bella and I were just about to get some lunch together. Would you like to join us?" Draco asked.

Hermione smiled wryly. It was the last thing she wanted to do. "Actually I have a lot of work to do." She said as she sat down in her seat and opened her expenses file, hoping the two would get the message and leave her office.

"Maybe we could get a coffee later then? I'll be able to go through exactly what I do and how beneficial it can be to teams." Bella said.

Hermione looked up and gave her a tight smile. "Maybe." She said before looking back down.

"Why don't you go on ahead? I'll be out in a minute." Draco said to Bella.

Hermione's hand tightened around the quill she was holding.

Draco waited until Bella had left the room and shut the door firmly behind her before speaking.

"Bella is one of the best in her company. She's worked with all the leading companies and businesses in the Wizarding World." Draco said.

"And that qualifies her to tell me how to do my job?" Hermione asked.

"She isn't telling you how to do your job; she's informing you on how to better certain skills that will _help_ you do your job."

"Fine." Hermione sighed, not wanting to get into an argument with him. "I will do the course."

When she saw Draco's stormy look she added to her sentence. "And I will take it seriously."

"Thank you." Draco said before he turned around and left the room.

ooo

At 13:30, Hermione and her team were back in the VIP Suite for the second task. Thankfully lunch service had gone without a hitch and there were only a few minor problems with Zac. Hermione had however demoted him from waiter to odd jobs just to avoid any other problems. Fiona had been calling constantly, as had her mother. It seemed like just as the pair settled on one thing, they received some information on another socialite who'd had the same thing at one of her parties and the plans were thrown out of the window.

"I wonder what she's going to have us do now." Heather said.

"Probably pair us up and make us fall into each other's arms so we can trust each other." Hermione muttered under her breath.

Blake and Heather, the only two to hear her, smiled and laughed.

"Right, so in this task everyone but Hermione will be blindfolded. Lucy if you please." Bella said and Lucy stepped forward. A blindfold was conjured to cover Lucy's eyes.

"Lucy is the cat in the game. The rest of you will be mice. It is up to Hermione to keep you out of the cat's way and get all of you from one side of the room to the other in one minute. At the end, we see how many mice have managed to evade the cat's path thanks to Hermione's instructions."

Blake, who was Muggle-born just like Hermione scoffed. "Playing Blind Man's Bluff. How-" he caught sight of Draco's look, "beneficial to running my bar. Let's get started shall we?" he said with faux excitement.

The staff walked over to the end of the room before blindfolds were conjured to cover their eyes. Hermione looked at Bella to see when she could start and when an alarm sounded, havoc descended onto the room.

Jean, Heather, Blake and John didn't wait for Hermione's instructions but immediately started running blindly towards the other end of the room.

"Blake go left." Hermione shouted above the mayhem. Blake followed her instructions but went too far and crashed into John. The two fell to the floor in a laughing tangle of limbs.

Hermione couldn't stop her laughter when she caught sight of the two of them. "Heather run, Lucy's behind you!"

Heather made a sprint and safely reached/crashed into the end wall. Well at least one mouse was safe.

"Thirty seconds to go." Bella chimed in just as Lucy managed to snag the back of John's shirt.

Hermione's phone buzzed in her pocket and she read the latest message from Fiona. Apparently, sea bream would be much more classy and elegant than the salmon originally planned for the main course. Hermione made a mental note to talk to Jean.

"Fifteen seconds." Bella chimed in again.

Oh bugger.

"Blake you have a clear run, go." She told him. Lucy dived to the right on impulse and the two collided. Out went Blake.

There was another buzz from Hermione's phone.

"Five, four, three, two, one. Game over."

The blindfolds were vanished and everyone looked at each other to see where they were. Out of the corner of her eye, Hermione saw Draco shaking his head.

"Well, one across. Two caught and one in limbo. I think it's safe to say that's a fail."

Bella's words were met with silence.

"Okay everyone. Back to work." Draco said.

For the second time that day, the team trailed out of the room.

ooo

At 14:03, Hermione was on the phone in her office when Draco walked through the doors. His angry stance had Hermione hanging up on her call and the hairs on the back of her neck prickled.

"Look about earlier-" she began.

"You assured me that you would take this seriously." Draco cut in.

"I-I did." Hermione said.

"No Hermione. You didn't. I know you. If you had put your mind to it you wouldn't have failed. I paid a lot of money for Bella to come here for the day. How do you think it makes me look when my General Manager doesn't take this seriously? How do you think you look? To your team. To Bella."

"_Excuse me?_ I couldn't give a toss on what I look like to her." Hermione interjected loudly.

"Your _job_ is to lead your team. You can't even get them to do the simplest of tasks! Which means you're failing to do your job!" Draco replied back even louder.

"Because I failed her silly little game? I told you that I have a lot on this week; something you would know if you'd bothered to come to today's meeting on time. I hardly think her games take first priority. I make one little mistake and suddenly I can't run HA8?"

"Stop being so condescending."

"No!" Hermione yelled. "I will be condescending because I am bloody well good at my job. And if anything, I have over-preformed in my time here." Hermione finished by slamming the quill she was holding down on the table. She could feel the beginnings of tears gathering in her eyes and she adamantly wished that she wasn't such a easy crier. Every time she got angry her eyes filled with tears.

"I know you have." Draco agreed quietly.

Hermione looked up at him in surprise.

"There is one more task left after dinner service and I expect you to take it seriously. Show Bella…and me, that you are the best person for this job."

On that threatening note he started to walk towards the door.

"Why do you care so much what Bella thinks anyway? Who is she? One of your sluts?" The angry words were out of Hermione's mouth before she could stop them.

Draco stopped in his tracks and turned around. "We may have a history _Miss Granger_ but you would do well to remember that I am still your boss."

He opened the door and slammed it shut behind him.

ooo

At 15:30, Hermione was sat at the bar as Blake went through the drink order with her for Friday's party. When he popped off his stool to go and grab another list of drinks he'd let on his desk, Hermione was interrupted.

"Hermione. Can I talk to you for a minute?" John asked.

"Of course you can."

"It's about these tasks we've been doing. I know you think they're a bunch of Hippogriff dung and to be honest, so do I but it seems like it's important to Draco. A lot of people are worried about losing their jobs and if doing well in these exercises means keeping them then we need to do well... And to do well we need your help."

Hermione sighed. "Okay. I promise I'll start taking it seriously." Hermione vowed.

John smiled before he walked back to his own front desk.

ooo

At 19:00, Hermione was coming from the kitchens when she unconsciously glanced towards the restaurant. Her eyes fell on Draco and Bella and she slowed her walk to a crawling pace. They were seated at a table for two as he poured her a wine glass. In the soft lighting of the room, it looked like they were on a romantic date. Maybe they were? Draco certainly hadn't denied her earlier accusation.

Hermione gave them one last look before she hurried on towards her office. When she'd closed the door behind her, she leaned against it and admonished herself.

She had no right feeling annoyed that he was on a date with Bella. They'd broken up nearly two years ago. Sighing heavily, she walked towards her desk and sank into her chair.

Draco had flitted from witch to witch since their break-up, his conquests always being extensively detailed about in the Prophet and Witch Weekly. Reading the words and seeing the pictures had hurt Hermione for the first few months but then she had learnt to avoid them.

However, ever since Draco had bought HA8 last month, she'd found her eyes straying towards the numerous articles that recorded his love life more often than not.

It wasn't even the fact that he was dating so many witches that annoyed Hermione. It was the fact that they were all stick thin, tall and blond to her curvy, not so tall and brunette. Just like Bella. Why it bothered her- well she refused to think about that.

Glancing at the watch on her desk she groaned. Five more hours and she would be done for the night. More importantly, she would hopefully be done with Draco Malfoy.

ooo

"You have a good team here." Bella commented as she forked her salad daintily.

"Really?" Draco asked.

"Hmm." She murmured. "A good mix of personalities that all balance each other out. Although Hermione…"

Draco looked up from his plate. "Hermione what?"

Bella gave a little smile. "Maybe I shouldn't say anything yet. There's still the last task left for her to redeem herself."

"Hermione is good at her job." Draco found himself defending his ex-girlfriend.

"I'm sure she is. But are you sure that you're completely capable of judging her performance- I mean with your history."

"I didn't realise it might cause a problem." Draco said. He then realised just how wrong his words were. What Hermione had said to him about Bella being one of his sluts wasn't professional but he'd ignored it. Would he have done the same if a stranger had made the comment?

"Like I said, let's wait until tonight and see the results." Bella said as she drained her wine glass.

Draco smiled and refilled it. "Tell me more about your job. It must be enjoyable to apparate around the world."

Bella laughed. "It is, don't get me wrong but it's awfully lonely. It was fine when I first graduated from Beauxbatons but now…I'm thinking more and more of settling down in one place…with the right person."

She gave Draco a look from above her wineglass and he smiled in response.

ooo

At 20:20 Hermione was gearing herself up to apologize to Draco. She saw him at the bar and made her way towards him.

Blake saw her coming and disappeared into the back room. Despite her and Draco's argument taking place in the privacy of her office, the words spoken between the two had flown around HA8 in under two minutes.

Everyone was now walking on eggshells, fearing for their jobs and Hermione couldn't have that.

"Draco." She called out as she neared him. He looked up from his paper but said nothing and so she continued. "I wanted to apologize about what I said earlier. It was wrong of me. I promise to take this last task seriously but I still maintain that I'm good at my job."

Draco folded his paper and set it on his knee. "I don't think I'm the best person to judge that anymore."

Hermione's stomach dropped. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm saying that with our history, my judgment may be tainted. Bella is an impartial judge and I trust her findings."

Hermione couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Merlin, she really has blinded you hasn't she?"

"I don't want to hear it Hermione. I suggest you put your all into this final task and hope that it makes up for your earlier performances."

He stood and walked out.

ooo

At 23:30 Hermione felt dead on her feet. She'd finally managed to get Fiona Davenport and her mother to stick to one plan and she'd spent the last hour or two trying to organize everything so the whole day wouldn't be considered a waste.

She turned off her phone, not that she expected any more calls so late at night and since dinner service and the kitchen was closed, the Head Staff were once again in the VIP Suite, all furtively wishing that this latest task wouldn't take too long.

Bella and Draco walked into the room after a few minutes and hush fell.

"Right." Bella smiled brightly. "The last task will give you a chance to bring together everything you have learned on my course. As General Manager, Hermione will once again be team leader."

Hermione saw Lucy and Heather's face fall but John gave her an encouraging wink which she replied to with a small smile.

"As you all know, ever since the attacks on Diagon Alley during the War, the Ministry has made it mandatory that all businesses carry out evacuation drills so that witches and wizards can be moved to safety in the event of an emergency. I will be simulating such an attack and Hermione, you will be leading your staff and your "diners" to safety in a set period of time."

Hermione nodded her head. It sounded simple enough and HA8 had carried out at least two drills in the six months she had worked here.

Bella handed out red cards to the staff except Hermione.

"Each of these cards represents a situation that you will need to overcome as a team. If the staff would like to make their way to the Ballroom where the simulation will take place, I'll explain the further details to Hermione."

John gave her one last smile and waved his red card at her before he left the room. He was soon followed by the others. When Hermione was the only one left along with Draco, Bella asked her if she had any questions.

Hermione shook her head mutely.

"Shall we." Draco said to Bella.

The two departed and Hermione followed behind them. When they stepped into the elevator that led directly into the ballroom, Bella spoke again.

"This is an exercise to test how quickly you can get your customers to safety and therefore you cannot use your wand." She informed Hermione.

Hermione sighed at the information. As if she would be wandless when she found herself in a crisis. The Ministry had drilled it into everyone's heads that your wand should always be with you. However, she kept quiet and said nothing.

"The simulation will start as soon as the doors open. You have three minutes to evacuate your staff and 15 trapped diners."

"Good luck." Draco said.

Hermione smiled at him wanly. The doors pinged open and Hermione stepped forward…right into a warzone.

The simulation was representative of HA8 to the last detail. In places it was pitch black with the only light coming from the fires in various locations or the hexes being thrown around the vicinity by the "Death Eaters".

Hermione saw the first "diner" and rushed over to help him.

"Hermione. You're the co'ordinator. You can't take an active role." Bella said.

"I can't do both?" Hermione asked in a voice that showed how ridiculous the stipend was.

"Those are the rules. Twenty seconds gone."

Hermione grit her teeth and turned away from her.

"Blake, John!" she shouted. "Where are you?" She had to duck to avoid a curse before she heard Blake answer.

"By the bar."

"Okay, Blake check the toilets and bring any guests to the evacuation exit doors. John, start helping the guests in the restaurant. Lucy! Heather!"

"We're over here!"

"Start helping the injured to the doors."

There was shuffling as the diners were moved to the doors.

"One minute gone."

Hermione ignored Bella. "Why is this taking so long?" she yelled as she was forced to hide behind a table.

"Oh, I'm supposed to inform you now that the evacuation doors have been buried in rubble fallen from the ceiling." came Jean's voice.

"Okay. Start moving people towards the entrance doors."

"I have two guests whose injuries are too severe to be moved any further." John said woodenly.

"Okay. Leave them and start moving the people who can walk. Heather? Where are you?"

"I was cursed and am now lying in a pool of my own blood. If I am not given emergency attention by a Healer soon I will die." Heather said, her words accompanied by an over exaggerated dying sound.

"Okay Heather we'll get to you in a minute. The rest of you start moving everyone who can walk out of the building. Blake tend to the injured."

"You're going to get to me in a minute! My card says I'm going to die soon." Heather said indignantly.

"Heather we need to get as many diners out of the building as possible."

"Are you sure you want to leave one of your own staff?" Bella chimed in.

Hermione snapped. "We leave her for the moment and concentrate on the uninjured diners. Jean, you lead."

"Oh wait. I was supposed to have died thirty seconds ago." With that Jean dropped to the floor.

"Oh Jean. I'll miss your cooking." Lucy giggled.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Blake where's John?"

"I don't know, I haven't seen him."

"He was just with you. John!"

A voice behind her spoke. "Apparently I am on fire." John said in a bored tone.

"Put yourself out using your wand!" Hermione told him.

"Uh-uh, no wands Hermione."

Hermione stared daggers at Bella before Draco caught her gaze. He was watching her with those expressionless grey eyes. Hermione turned away.

"Okay Blake, carry as many of the lighter guests to the door."

"Oooh there is an army of Death Eaters waiting for us outside the front doors." Lucy informed as she read off her card.

"The back door then!"

There was an alarm ringing and the simulation disappeared. Hermione turned towards Bella.

"And that's three minutes over. The army of Death Eaters have caused the building to collapse and HA8 hasn't been evacuated. Everyone's dead. I'm very sorry Hermione. You did your best." Bella turned and walked back to the lift.

Hermione was left looking at Draco before he too turned around and walked to the lift. He and Bella disappeared.

"Let's go and get a cup of tea." John said.

The rest of the Head Staff walked off towards the lift behind him. Blake paused beside her and gave her a commiserating look before he followed.

Oh bugger.

ooo

At 23:45 the restaurant had just bid goodbye to its last diners. Everyone was sitting in the Staff Room drinking tea silently when Hermione entered.

"Hello." She said.

There were dejected murmurs in reply.

"Blake, can I have a word with you?"

Blake stood from his chair and made his way over to her. "Don't beat yourself up about the task. It was difficult."

"Thank you but you weren't the one who failed. Anyway I don't want to talk about that. Have you seen Zac? I need to talk to him."

Blake's brow furrowed. "No I haven't. Isn't he at the bar?"

"No."

Draco walked into the canteen and all murmurs of conversation stopped.

"Heather. I was just on the phone to the bank and they said that yesterday's takings weren't deposited?"

"Yes. I gave the sack to Hermione."

"Yes. I was with someone so I put it in my desk drawer. I was going to deposit it with tonight's takings." Hermione said.

"I checked your desk. It's not there."

"What?"

"It isn't there." Draco repeated.

Hermione glanced towards Blake and could tell that they'd both come to the same horrible conclusion.

"Um Draco. Can I talk to you in private please?"

"Here will be fine." He replied coldly.

Hermione took in a deep breath. "Okay. Um the man I was with when Heather dropped off the sack was someone who I offered a waiter job to. He's been having some problems on the work front and so I decided to help him out."

"Help him out how."

"Well, I-I gave him a job and said that if he gave me his CV I would ask around to see if anyone was hiring."

"Right well where is he?"

"Um, I can't seem to find him anywhere at the moment."

"Ring his number."

Hermione shifted from one foot to the other. "Um I didn't actually get his number. He was only supposed to working the one shift today because the budget is so tight."

There was silence for five seconds and Hermione gulped.

"So you take in a man with no experience, ignore protocol by not taking his details and he repays you by stealing the takings."

"No, we don't even know if he was the one who took the money." Hermione protested.

"Of course he's taken the bloody money!" Draco yelled. "Merlin, when are you going to stop being so _bloody_ naïve?"

"Well at least I try to help people. You just pretend to when all you're interested in is using them to get what you want!" Hermione shouted back.

Draco laughed and scoffed at the same time. "That's got nothing to do with anything. YOU SCREWED UP!"

"ONCE! I made one mistake. The number of times where you've messed up and I've had to bail you out-"

Draco cut her off but she continued talking in the background while he yelled back. "I didn't want your help! You shouldn't have stuck your little nose where it wasn't wanted and INTEREFERED!"

The last word he bellowed so loudly that it caused Hermione to stop talking and everyone flinched at the sound. Once again, she felt tears begin to cover her vision. She swallowed convulsively to remove the lump from her throat.

Draco merely stared at her. "Bella was right. This is never going to work between us. There's too much history."

The first tear fell and Hermione quickly wiped it away. Sticking her chin in the air she tried to adopt the best professional look she could under the circumstances.

"Well let me clear up the problem for you… I resign."

Hermione saw her staff's heads snap up at her words but her gaze remained on Draco.

"Fine." He said plainly.

Hermione swallowed. "Fine... Effective immediately." And she walked out of the room.

A few seconds later, Draco apparated out, leaving the staff reeling.

"So much for team building." Blake commented.

ooo

It didn't take Hermione long to clear out her desk. A few seconds to wave her wand and accio her possessions towards her and she was done. She took a moment looking over her office before deciding it would be best to leave before she saw Draco again and completely broke down.

At 23:53 she was walking out of the room to say goodbye to the rest of her staff.

By 23:57 she had said her goodbye's and was heading out of HA8 when she caught sight of Draco coming out of her office. He said nothing and neither did she. Stepping out onto the pavement, she let the door to HA8 close behind her.

ooo

"There you are." Bella said as she saw Draco staring blankly at the entrance doors of HA8. "I was looking for you. Shall we go into the office?"

Draco exhaled loudly but nodded his head. He led Bella into the office and closed the door.

"I'm really sorry it worked out like this with Hermione but don't beat yourself up about it." Bella said.

Draco rubbed a hand over his tired face. "I just don't understand what happened. I don't have a clue on where I'm going to find a General Manager like Hermione before Friday."

Bella walked over to where Draco was seated and rubbed his shoulder in compassion. "You just need a fresh start. This is a good thing…Listen if you're really in a bind I'd be willing to help out for a little while."

Draco looked up with narrowed eyes. "Pardon me?"

Bella turned away from him and fiddled with her papers. "Well, I spent a few months working with the General Manager of Carpe Diem in Hogsmeade. I picked up a few things…"

"You want to take over Hermione's job?"

"I told you that I'm looking to settle down. This seems like a great opportunity. We'd be helping each other out."

Draco looked down towards the papers Bella was fiddling with. "Can I see those for a moment?" he said.

Bella handed over the papers before continuing. "It would only be for a short time, until you find someone better qualified. But I understand that you need someone before Friday and since I'm already well liked by your team I thought-" she turned back around and stopped when she saw the furious look on Draco's face.

"The rules for the final task. It says here that wands are allowed. You told Hermione and the rest of the staff that they weren't."

Bella laughed nervously. "Those are merely guidelines. I did what I thought was best to show you Hermione's hindrances."

"You deliberately undermined her."

"I was merely trying to help you. You saw what she was like in the first two tasks-"

"I think you should leave now." Draco said coldly.

"Draco I-"

Draco stood from his chair. "Get out. Now."

There was a heavy silence where Bella's mouth opened and closed with no noise spilling forth before she finally gave in. She gathered the remainder of her papers and walked towards the door. She gave Draco one last beseeching look which he ignored before she slammed it shut.

As soon as she had done so, Draco threw his glass towards the door. The crystal splintered into a thousand pieces against the wood. The shards hadn't settled on the floor before there was a knock on the door and a man's head popped around the door.

"Hi. You haven't seen Hermione have you?" he asked.

"No. Who are you?" Draco asked, knowing he was being rude but not caring.

The man walked into the room hesitantly, looking at the glass that was crushed to dust as he walked over it.

"I'm Zac. Hermione hired me earlier today. I thought she might want to see me and I have a deposit slip to give her."

"What?" Draco demanded.

Zac took out a pink deposit slip from his pocket. "Deposit slip from Gringotts. For today's and yesterday's takings. I know Hermione was planning on doing it but she seemed really busy with this party on Friday and the team building stuff. My Dad owns a cauldron shop a few roads down and I know how important it is to get the takings to the bank every night. Is she around?"

Draco swore. "No, no she isn't."

ooo

It was 08:30 on Tuesday morning.

At 08:31 Hermione Granger was still in lying in bed staring up at the ceiling.

At 08:33 her mobile rang for the fifth time that morning. Hermione continued to ignore it and turned away from the noise. Her head now burrowed under the duvet, she closed her gritty tired eyes and tried to fall back asleep in vain.

At 08:45 she gave up and angrily shoved the duvet off her body. Breathing heavily she sat up and looked around her room. She had nothing to do today. She hadn't had a free weekday in years. What was she supposed to do? The obvious answer was to look for another job but the thought was too depressing to even think about at the moment. Instead Hermione stepped out of bed. Maybe some fresh air would help her…and she knew just the place to go.

At 09:45 Hermione was sitting on a shaded bench in Hyde Park. Breathing in the air that was scented with freshly cut grass, she simply watched the world pass her by. There were students lounging around, laughing merrily in the sun a few meters away from her and there was a mother with her young child playing football a little further away.

They all knew where they were going with their lives. It wasn't fair Hermione thought stubbornly.

"I thought I'd find you here."

Hermione snapped her head up at Draco's voice. The sun glinted in her eyes and she had to shade them to make sure that it was actually Draco standing there and not a stranger. The sun bounced off his blond white head.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him with a minimum amount of insolence in her tone.

"Coffee?" he said as he held out a cup for her to take.

Hermione reached out and Draco sat down next to her.

"I went to your apartment last night but you weren't there." He said.

"I moved last year."

Draco nodded his head. "I wanted to apologise. I was wrong when I said that I wasn't able to judge your performance because of our history. You're a good General Manager and you did nothing wrong."

"Thanks for the apology but it's hardly true. I failed Bella's tasks and let someone steal hundreds of Galleons from my office."

"Zac went to deposit the money yesterday night and you didn't fail the task. You were supposed to be allowed to use your wands. Bella told you otherwise because she wanted your job. You actually did pretty well considering."

"That cow." Hermione said after a few moments.

Draco laughed before sobering. "Come back Hermione. HA8 needs you. Your staff need you."

Hermione turned her head to look at him.

"I don't think so Draco." She said with a shaking head.

"Please Mione... I need you."

"You were right when you said that we wouldn't be able to work together. Look at how we acted towards each other yesterday. I mean Merlin- we got into an argument in front of the staff."

"We'll work it out. We always do."

"Not always." Hermione pointed out.

"…This time we will."

ooo

At 10:15 Draco Malfoy apparated back to HA8 and called a staff meeting. The nervous group made their way into the office and took their seats around the table. Draco remained standing.

"Thank you all for meeting me. As you all know, yesterday was not the best or most productive day. Hermione resigning was…unexpected. But HA8 can't grind to a halt and on that note I would like to introduce you to her replacement."

Draco saw the staff glance at each other and hid a smile as he opened the door to allow the witch in.

"Hermione!" Lucy shrieked.

There were excited cries from the other staff and Hermione accepted hugs and kisses from Lucy and Heather.

"You're back!"

"Thank Merlin. This morning Fiona Davenport turned up and we didn't have a clue what to do with her."

"How did you manage to get her to come back?" Blake asked Draco as he opened a bottle of champagne.

"I just explained a few things-"

"And when that didn't work, he groveled." Hermione answered.

Flutes of champagne were handed out and Hermione was surprised when Draco raised his in toast.

"To having the best staff running HA8."

His words were met with cheers.

"I could have told you that for free." Blake couldn't help but interject.

Draco ignored his words whilst the others laughed. "Hermione. Welcome back."

Hermione smiled as the others toasted her. She caught Draco's private nod of his head and her smile widened.

Unfortunately her phone rang at that moment. Fiona Davenport flashed on the screen.

"Oh sorry. I have to take this."

* * *

_Author's Note: Thank you for reading. Until next time, Curiositykils_

_P.S. The latest Lords of the Underworld book by Gena Showalter comes out on the 29/03/11. Yay! A few months later we'll have Strider's and then comes Paris'! *sigh* I wish I was Gena Showalter's brain.  
_


	30. Mile High Club

**Mile High Club**

**1245 words**

**Rating: T**

* * *

Draco Malfoy was going to die… And it was his nutter of a wife who was going to kill him.

His hands clenched around the armrests of his seat, his already pale skin turning even whiter.

From the seat next to him, his wife idly leafed through a magazine that had been offered to her by a uniformed Muggle.

Merlin- how could she be so calm? She was acting as if she wasn't just about to cause his death.

A loud voice reverberated through the constricted space and Draco saw the uniformed Muggles hurry towards their own seats.

His own hands moved from the armrests to tightly hold onto the piece of fabric that was tightly wound around his waist. As if such a ridiculous belt would stop him hurtling down to his death or protect him when this scrap of metal exploded into a ball of fire.

He had debated taking his wife's belt for his own use too (just in case) but he had thought the better of it.

His wife may be a completely infuriating nutter but he still loved her. Best she had her own belt tied around her waist to save her from her impending doom.

The beast of metal began moving and Draco closed his eyes, his breathing becoming shallower with every passing second.

When there was a lurch, his eyes snapped back open. Immediately his hand moved to his left pocket where his wand was tucked away.

His mind ran through the possible fines the Ministry would send his way if he grabbed his wife and apparated the two of them the bloody hell away from here.

He had just decided to bugger the consequences and carry out his intended action when his wife's hand curled around his tightly.

"Draco? You don't look too well." She stated.

Draco breathed in through his nose. Of course he didn't look bloody well. He was about to die. Struck down at the age of twenty-six by a muggle contraption his wife had bullied him into boarding. The injustice of it all.

"I'm going to die." He murmured quietly.

Evidently it wasn't quiet enough because the giggle - yes you read correctly, _giggle_- his wife let out, indicated she'd heard his words and rubbished them.

"Draco honestly, you aren't going to die."

"I'll be the judge of that. Your judgment is compromised since this was your idea!"

"It was _your _idea to go to the South of France for Christmas." His wife said indignantly.

Draco turned to her. "No- it was my idea to_ apparate_ to the South of France for Christmas. Nowhere was there any mention of this- _machine_." He said in a disgusted voice. "A machine that is going to kill us." He added again.

His wife merely rolled her eyes and held his hand tightly, her fingers occasionally making soothing strokes on his palm over the next minute or so.

"It isn't so bad, is it?" she asked him.

And Draco had to admit, it wasn't going as horribly as what he'd imagined over the past few days. He was actually getting used to the gentle swaying motion.

All that changed a few moments later when a loud noise started whirring away. Draco rapidly sat up straighter in alertness.

"What's happening?" he asked.

"It's okay. The pilot is just revving the engines to go down the runway."

"Revving? Engine?" Draco exclaimed at the foreign words she had just spewed out.

His breath caught in his throat as the beast began hurtling forward. Draco closed his eyes as he was pressed against his seat by an unseen force.

"Merlin. I'm going to die. I'm going to die." He chanted, uncaring that others would be able to hear his words.

"Nervous flyer." He heard his wife explain.

Draco opened his eyes to see a portly man looking at Draco in amusement. Anger caused his teeth to clench. How amused would the old bugger be if Draco went and put him on a broomstick?

There was another lurch and Draco's momentum shifted. "Merlin, witch. I'm falling backwards!"

His wife giggled again. "You're not falling backwards. The plane's ascending. Just close your eyes and imagine you're on your broom."

Grudgingly, Draco followed her instructions… only to find that it did help. He was no longer being thrown backwards to his death; he was merely kicking up off the ground, his broom a stable safe haven under him.

After a minute the broom leveled off and Draco could actually take in a deep breath and open his eyes. The sick hyperventilating feeling began to ebb away.

It was a few quiet moments before a pinging sound was made.

"Oh, we can take our seatbelt's off." His wife said as she popped hers open.

Draco had to force himself not to buckle her back up again. What in Merlin's saggy balls was she thinking?

"Aren't you going to take yours off? You'll be more comfortable." She told him.

Draco's look gave her the answer to her question and she sighed.

Leaning over the armrest, she moved her mouth closer to his ear so she could whisper without anyone hearing her words.

"Draco, have you ever heard of the Mile High Club?"

Draco turned to look at her. "No." he said in confusion.

A smile broke out across his wife's lips. "It's a Muggle thing. But I think you'd like it. A lot." She accompanied her words with a finger trailing down his shirt.

Draco pushed her hand away. "No. No way. I'm not doing anymore Muggle things. Not after those birthday beats you told me about."

Draco's mind went back six months to the night of his birthday. The party his wife had held in his honor had just ended and the two were in bed.

She had slyly asked him whether he knew what birthday beats were. He'd answered in the negative but straightaway, his mind went to an image of him spanking his wife's lovely derrière.

He'd agreed to her plans with no hesitation.

She had then proceeded to attack him with minute punches. Loudly announcing each one with a number, she ended with an ear splitting "And one for luck, 27!"

He'd been so bruised that all thoughts of kinky sex had flown out the window. And it was then that he'd vowed never again. Never again would he agree to anything his wife termed "It's a Muggle thing."

His wife sighed in annoyance at his words. "Look, I'm going to the bathroom. Come after me in thirty seconds. Knock on the door twice so I know it's you."

She didn't allow Draco any time to reply before she stood from her chair, gave him a saucy look and wandered over to the bathroom.

Sixty seconds later and she was back in all her irate fury. "You didn't turn up." She stated.

Draco merely raised an eyebrow. Merlin, his wife may be the greatest witch of her age but she was naively stupid when it came to him.

"Of course I didn't turn up dear. Did you really expect me to get up from my seat and actually walk up and down this absurd machine whilst it is in the air?"

His wife made an annoyed sound, cursed Merlin before resuming her seat. "We can join the Mile High Club on the way back." she said under her breath.

Draco scoffed quietly. Not if he had anything to do with it.

* * *

_Author's Note: So I have a few things I'd like to say. _

_Firstly to maialia, a little birdie told me that you've not once, but twice recommended this collection of oneshots to other readers. I am beyond honored and thank you immensely. _

_Secondly, a huge thank you to Weird-Chik2 who was my 500th reviewer! Yay! Your kind words meant a lot to me.  
_

_Until next time, Curiositykils. _


	31. More than a Rut

**More than a Rut**

**Sequel to Just a Rut?  
**

**790 words**

**Rating: K  
**

* * *

Hermione lay awake in her bed and studied the ceiling.

She couldn't believe it had come to this.

It had been four months since she and Draco had officially agreed that their marriage was over.

And yet here they were. Back in the same bed. Their marital bed. A bed they hadn't shared in four months.

Hermione breathed in and exhaled deeply. She desperately wanted to turn her body to face her husband- _ex husband?_- but she resisted.

He was lying still on the opposite edge of the bed but Hermione knew he was still awake.

"Draco? Are you awake?" she whispered quietly anyway.

"Yes." He answered back softly.

Her hands clenched into fists by her side. "When are you going to tell them?"

He didn't reply for a moment before wearily giving his answer. "I don't know. I'm sorry- I know this is an imposition."

Out of the corner of her eye, Hermione saw him rub a hand down his tired face.

She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. She opened her mouth to tell him that it was no problem but stopped when she realised how pathetic that would sound.

She knew the reasons behind his hesitations to tell his parents about their break up. Narcissa was still recovering from Dragon Pox and such a shock would hinder her recovery.

And Hermione still loved her mother in law. Enough to pretend that she and Draco were still the happy couple they'd once been when she and Lucius had unexpectedly come to spend the weekend.

However it didn't mean that her heart wasn't being torn to shreds every time Draco looked at her or addressed her in a loving tone.

She pushed the thoughts away. He was just acting. Playing his part. She would do well to remember that.

"I haven't heard any word from Mr. Luftkin yet?" she asked, referring to the lawyer who would be representing her during the _amicable_ proceedings.

"I haven't filed for divorce yet."

Hermione froze in shock before she forced herself to unclench her stiff body so Draco wouldn't see the effect his words had on her.

It had been four months since he'd moved out. For the first time in over a year, Hermione found herself truly hating him. Hating him for purposely lengthening out the whole ordeal.

What was he waiting for? He was the one who didn't love her anymore; surely he couldn't wait to be a free man again? His cow of a secretary was probably counting down the seconds until she could sink her claws into him.

Maybe he was having second thoughts?

"I'll owl the papers on Monday."

Oh…

The fresh hit of rejection had her turning away from him. Closing her eyes, she held back the stray tears.

"It shouldn't take long to complete the proceedings." He continued and Hermione felt like slapping his mouth shut, "there aren't any problems with dividing up the major assets and no children to complicate things."

Her stomach cramped at the missed opportunities. A child. Draco's child. A child she had yearned for dreadfully. A child that she would never have.

Draco continued speaking in a deadened tone. "It won't take long before the Prophet hears about us. I'll arrange some extra security for you and the house for a few months, until the worst is over."

Hermione pressed her left ear hard into the pillow so his words would be muffled slightly.

She wanted to scream out loud until her lungs burst and her throat stung.

A few months until the worst was over? A few months until people stopped caring about their divorce? How fickle the vultures were.

Hermione felt like it would take her years to get used to Draco not being in her life.

These last few months had been hell on Earth. How was she supposed to face a lifetime without him?

"Once I've found a permanent place to stay I'll send for my things. Anything that we've bought together you can ke-"

"I'm tired." Hermione gasped out. The words were heavy with pain that she instantly regretted showing.

"Hermione-" Draco began in a soft hesitant voice that had her hurting even more.

She didn't want him to care about her. She needed to hate him. It was the only way she would get through this.

"Go to sleep Draco." She managed to choke out.

"We should talk-"

"_Please_... Just go to sleep."

She heard him sigh heavily before he too, turned away from her.

Hermione Malfoy, nee Granger and soon to be again, didn't slip into sleep. Neither did her husband.

The two lay awake throughout the night, one crying silent tears and the other wishing he could caress them away.

* * *

_Author's Note: I warned you that it wouldn't be fluffy! _

_I actually have a choice of two oneshots that I could update next. There's a silly little oneshot which isn't even worth reviewing (but don't let that stop you) that I wrote merely because it wouldn't get out of my head. I might save it for a rainy day or if I get writer's block, but it will eventually be uploaded because otherwise it will just annoy me to no end. Alternatively, I did write another Regency era oneshot but it still needs a little work and editing. Everytime I read it, it just seems like there's something wrong with it but I don't know what. I will try my best to fix the problem and update it next. Thank you very much for reading and until next time, Curiositykils. _


	32. The Masked Man

**The Masked Man **

**5163 words**

**Rating: K  
**

* * *

Hermione Granger had been on this Earth for a whole six and twenty years. In that time, she had seen much and felt much. So much in fact, that she considered herself to have experienced all the emotions that any lady could possibly experience in a lifetime.

However she had been sorely mistaken, for in all her years, she had never experienced the emotions that were currently swirling around her body. Feelings so painful and suffocating that it felt as if her heart was being torn in two.

As she swayed from side to side in the opulent carriage belonging to the Greengrass family, Hermione looked over at the young woman dozing in the seat opposite her. She was a beautiful young woman with light brown hair that shone gold in the sun, perfectly proportioned lips that were a deep red without the stain of rouge and hazel eyes that looked warm and welcoming. But despite all this, Hermione was not looking at the young woman's features. Instead, her gaze was fixed on the emerald ring glinting on the woman's left hand.

Try as she might, she simply couldn't take her eyes away from the piece of jewelry; hadn't been able to do so since the young woman had eagerly bounded up to her and showed her the piece not forty five minutes ago.

Hermione knew she should have been happy for her charge. Securing a proposal from a member of the British Wizarding peerage was the reason why Hermione had been hired as a governess to the young girl. It was the goal the two had striven for over the last two years. And there was no-one more sought after in society than Draco Malfoy.

Marquis Malfoy to be precise. Astoria would be a Marchioness. Such a coveted position was something that any young woman would only ever dare to dream about. And Astoria's dreams had come true.

Hermione should be overjoyed at the proposal. Yet she felt like any second now, she would break down and cry.

Twenty more minutes, she told herself in a stern voice. Twenty more minutes and she would be safely ensconced in her bedroom at Greengrass Manor where she could cry in peace till her heart's content. However until then, she had to hold herself together.

Forcing her eyes away from the ring, Hermione looked outside the small window of the carriage. Autumn was definitely turning into Winter. Breathing in deeply, the crisp air filled her lungs and momentarily replaced the ache with a new one. Hermione thanked the barely visible stars that the proposal hadn't taken place a few months earlier, at the height of the London season. Shropshire was a much more pleasant place to be, regardless of the fact that what seemed like half the ton had descended in the area to continue their pleasurable pursuits once the season had finished.

Rain began to sprinkle down from the dark skies and the beginnings of fog started to creep over the moors. The weather was mimicking how she felt, Hermione thought wryly. Such thoughts inevitably led to the one question that had been haunting her since the very first ball of the season.

Where had it all gone wrong?

Hermione had always thought herself to be a practical, realistic and generally intelligent woman. She knew her position in life…and she had never been one to want for more than her station. Even as a young girl, she had never had the same foolish dreams as the other little girls in her village. She had never dreamt that one day a duke would come riding up to Granger farm on his white horse and take her away to a magical new life. A life where there would be no need to wake before dawn to start the day's activities. A life where she would wear beautiful dresses and attend dances.

She had adjusted and made peace with the fact that she would never get to see or travel to the far flung places in the world as she yearned. The precious books on different countries and their cultures that her father purchased every once in a while were enough for her.

But she had thought that she would get married to a nice countryman and start her own family. Altogether, she wasn't too unfortunate looking and whilst she would never be a great beauty like her friend Ginny Weasley whose titian hair and blue eyes were an alluring combination, she had thought that a young gentleman in her village would take a shine to her and offer for her hand.

Only when her father had died from consumption and the debts he had left behind were revealed, all thoughts of marriage had been cruelly whisked away.

A distant cousin Hermione had never met before stood to inherit Granger farm. The cousin, while willing to take on the farm and its debts, was not so willing to take on a seventeen year old girl. A girl that he would need to dress…provide a dowry for…spend time negotiating a husband for.

And so Hermione had been forced to leave behind her beloved farm to start a new life. Her saving grace had come one afternoon, four years later, when she had been working as a seamstress in Abbott's Dressmakers. She had managed to secure a job and boarding at the small business when Lucy Abbott had seen Hermione's sewing skills. After years of fixing and mending clothes for both her father and herself, Hermione had learnt to sew at a rapid rate. She had been hired on the spot for which she would never stop being thankful, for if she had never found a position at the dressmakers, Lucy Abbott would have never told her that she was being wasted as a seamstress and she would be better suited as a governess.

At first Hermione had balked at the idea, immediately rejecting Lucy's suggestion. She had a comfortable life, yes it was not the one she had always dreamed about, but it was hers. Why would she throw that away for a position which would probably never work out?

However, a year later when Lady Longbottom had entered the shop and started complaining on how young Marie Longbottom's latest governess had quit the position earlier that morning; Lucy had been quick to suggest Hermione as a replacement.

Lady Longbottom had pleaded openly, telling Hermione the position would only be for a few months until Marie was accepted into McGonagall's Academy for Young Ladies and since this would be the perfect chance to test the idea that had been stewing in her mind over the last year, Hermione had accepted.

Only to find herself falling in love with the position.

Being part of a family again was something Hermione had never thought possible. At twenty-one and with no dowry and no-one to sponsor her, she had resigned herself to the fact she would never be married. Never belong to a family. But being a governess allowed her to do so. All be it for short periods of time but Hermione had never once complained.

And then she had been hired as a governess by the Greengrass family.

When Hermione had first met the patriarch and matriarch, she knew her time with them would be different to any other family she had spent time with. At her initial meeting, after being introduced to the cold and dismissing Lord Greengrass and his equally cold and dismissing wife, Hermione had seriously considered walking to town and arranging a carriage to take her back to the safe haven that was Abbott's Dressmakers in Hampshire.

All that had changed when she had met Astoria Greengrass.

Cripplingly shy and withdrawn, Miss Greengrass had suffered badly at the hands of her parents. Like her older sister before her, her only chance of removing herself from the suppressive hold of her parents was to marry and become lady of her own household. At nineteen years of age, she already had two failed seasons under her bonnet and a third was about to get underway.

Hermione knew she could never leave this girl whilst keeping a clear conscience. And so she hadn't stayed for herself, she had stayed to help Astoria.

The last two years had been hard work. She had slowly coaxed Astoria out of her shell and taught her everything she would need to be in the eyes of the ton if she wanted to marry a high ranking member of wizarding society.

Astoria had absorbed Hermione's teachings like a sponge…and when the "new" her had been unveiled at this year's London season, she had dazzled everyone.

And there it was. The point at which it had all gone wrong. Because the man who had offered for her hand had been Draco Malfoy.

The same Draco Malfoy who had caught Hermione's eye from across Lady Parkinson's ballroom at the first event of the season and for the first time in her life, caused a warm flush to spread across her cheeks.

The same Draco Malfoy who had secretly toyed and sparred with her in the shadowed nooks and crannies of the various dinners and parties she had attended as a chaperone to Astoria.

The same Draco Malfoy who had decided to court Astoria so that he could taunt Hermione since she had dared to warn him away from her charge.

The same Draco Malfoy who had whispered incorrigible things in her ear and stolen a kiss, Hermione's first, in the Greengrass drawing room when he had come to pick up Astoria for a night at the theatre.

The same Draco Malfoy who had earlier this evening, produced a magnificent emerald ring, and asked Hermione to run away to Gretna Green so they could be married.

The same Draco Malfoy that Astoria Greengrass was fervently hoping would be her savior from a life spent with her parents.

The same Draco Malfoy that Hermione had rejected for that very reason.

The same Draco Malfoy that not two minutes later, had cruelly slipped the emerald ring onto Astoria Greengrass's finger.

The same Draco Malfoy that Hermione had foolishly fallen in love with.

As a tear threatened to slip out from under her tightly closed eyelids, Hermione quickly opened them and dabbed gently with her handkerchief.

The ring on Astoria's finger glinted as a shaft of moonlight hit the priceless gem. In the darkness, it blinded her.

Her throat stung from the suppression of sobs. Her tired eyes burnt from the wash of tears. Her jaw still ached from the forced smile she had plastered across her face when Astoria had told her the good news.

Hermione had been struck dumb to see the ring on another woman's hand so shortly after it had been presented to her. Luckily, Astoria had taken her surprise in her good nature and simply hugged Hermione tightly. During the embrace, Hermione had swept her eyes over the ballroom in disbelief, desperately seeking out the form of a blond haired man, needing to know whether this was all just a cruel prank or cruel reality. She had just swept her eyes over the entrance to the side rooms where some of the gentleman had assembled to play a few hands of cards, when she saw him disappear behind a shortly closed door.

When Daphne Nott nee Greengrass had appeared to congratulate her sister on snaring the catch of the season, Hermione's heart had shattered into a million pieces.

She had lasted twenty-nine more minutes than she'd thought possible before Astoria had commented on Hermione's pallor and Lady Greengrass had suggested that the two should depart to Greengrass Manor early. Apparently, Lord Malfoy had not made a formal offer for Astoria's hand to Lord Greengrass and there were certain factors that needed to be dealt with before their engagement was made formal.

The knowledge that Draco's proposal had not been planned hadn't appeased Hermione one smidgen.

Merely thankful that she would be able to depart from this hell, she had quickly said her goodbyes to the other chaperones and led Astoria from the ballroom to the Greengrass carriage. As the driver helped the two of them up the small steps into the coach, Hermione had unconsciously glanced backwards only to catch sight of a blond haired man staring directly at her from the shadows of the Brown estate. His face momentarily lighting up as he smoked his cheroot, she looked directly into the man's cold watchful eyes.

Hermione only hoped the pain that had flashed across her face was masked in the darkness before the carriage door shut and her journey home was underway.

Home, Hermione thought with a dull jolt. Now that Astoria was engaged and soon to be married, her work with the Greengrass family was through. Her time left with Astoria was limited before Lady Greengrass would ask her to leave and find alternative employment with another family in need of a governess.

Hermione vowed that she would start looking as soon as the morning's paper was delivered. Maybe she would try and find a family living up north? A cold winter would surely help remove _him _from her mind. Or maybe she would return to Abbott's Dressmakers? Every idea seemed so…meh.

Hermione closed her eyes again. The sway of the carriage and the patter of rain on its roof lulled her into a drowsiness which she welcomed.

She must have closed her eyes for only a few short minutes before there was a sudden jolt in the carriage. Hermione's eyes snapped open as her hands automatically splayed out to stop herself from hurtling forward into a now wide eyed Astoria.

What had happened? Had they hit a rock in the road? The carriage lurched to a stop but there was no other noise.

There was tense silence for a few seconds whilst Hermione and Astoria both waited for the driver to call out and inform them of the problem.

"Stupefy." said a voice and Hermione heard the loud thump of Jim's body as it fell to the ground.

Inside the carriage, Astoria had started breathing rapidly, her eyes wide and frightened, she stared at Hermione.

"Highwaymen?" she half stated, half cried.

Hermione's mind instantly dismissed her words. It couldn't possibly be highwaymen. There had been no reports in the papers. The road they were travelling on certainly wasn't a major one.

It couldn't possibly-

"Stand and deliver!"

Hermione's breath caught in her throat and she barely had time to gasp in some air before the carriage door was thrown open.

Both Hermione and Astoria looked at the open door in shocked numbness. When they hadn't moved in a few seconds, a glove covered hand holding a wand moved into the carriage.

Hermione mentally cursed the fact that women were not allowed to practice magic in society. Looking around the carriage for some sort of weapon, she found nothing. Her eyes went back to the wand that was creeping in.

"Ladies," came a voice, the closeness of which suggested it was the voice of the wand's owner, "I'm sure you would prefer to step out by yourselves…"

The charmingly lethal voice and the threatening overhang of his sentence had Hermione jerking out of her daze.

She glanced over to Astoria to see the girl shaking in her leather boots.

"Astoria. I think we should do what he says." We'll be fine, she whispered to herself mentally.

"Ah, a sensible woman. I do so hate dealing with the ear-splitting shrieks and the swooning."

Hermione stood from her seat and after giving Astoria's tightly clasped hands a quick squeeze, she proceeded to climb down the carriage steps.

In the dark, it was hard to see the steps and Hermione kept her head lowered to stop herself from tripping. When she touched the ground, she was surprised to find herself standing nearly toe to toe with the highwayman.

Her head flew upwards to his face only to find it half covered with a piece of cloth in the shape of a mask. His head was similarly covered by a black hat. Hermione could barely make out the uncovered portion of his skin in the light. She could however, see the wand that he still held out intimidatingly.

The picture did nothing to stop a tremble of fear from chasing up her spine. A hand settled on Hermione's shoulder and she quickly turned away from the man to help Astoria down the few steps.

When Hermione was sure Astoria wouldn't buckle at the knees, although she did look ready to cast her crumpets any moment now, Hermione turned back to face the man with what she hoped was defiance.

"Well, well. Look what we have here. It seems like it's our lucky night gentleman." The man said.

For the first time, Hermione recognized two other men on top of horses a small distance away from them.

"It's not every night that we open a carriage door to find two unescorted young women inside. It makes for a pleasant surprise."

At his words, Hermione glanced to the side and saw Jim lying face down on the muddy floor. His position seemed to force Hermione's brain to shut down and her throat to clear.

"I demand that you let us go." She managed to choke out in a deceptively strong voice.

Hermione watched the man's lips quirk upwards slightly in the corners. If his mask weren't covering his eyebrows, she was sure that they too, would be rising upwards at her tone.

"Already?" he mockingly asked politely. "It's only been a few moments yet. I'm sure you wouldn't want to deprive us a few more minutes of your…pleasurable company."

Hermione swallowed the lump that appeared in her throat and tried to ignore his words.

"We are simply two ladies on our way home after a trying night-"

"A trying night?" he interrupted. "Pray tell, what has made it so trying?"

Hermione's words caught in her throat as she watched his lips move. For a moment, she almost found herself answering his question before she shook herself and brought herself back to the subject at hand.

"We carry nothing of value-"

The man let out a harsh bark of laughter and Hermione froze. "Tsk. Tsk. Such a pretty mouth shouldn't lie." He said in disapproval.

He glanced over at Astoria and Hermione watched his head dip from head to toe, his eyes taking in every piece of jewelry that she was wearing. His head then turned back to her. "I believe that you're incredibly valuable."

His soft words wrapped around Hermione and something in her mind buzzed at his voice. For a moment, it had sounded so very familiar.

The man cleared his throat. "If the jewelry turns out to be paste or glass, you still have a very nice carriage." He said silkily.

Hermione gritted her teeth as a flare of anger snapped through her.

"You would leave two defenseless women out alone on a country road in the middle of the night?" she demanded.

The man gave a soft chuckle and for a moment, Hermione's heart stopped beating as he chucked her under her chin with the tip of his wand.

"Defenseless? You do yourself a disservice my lady."

Hermione didn't know what to say in reply. The man whistled loudly and one of his accomplices swung down from his horse and walked over to them.

"I'm sure you understand how this works. Your valuables if you please."

The accomplice opened up a small brown sack and held it out in front of Astoria. She fumbled for a few moments, looked desperately at Hermione, before she slowly started to slip of her diamond earrings. Her necklace quickly followed.

"And you my lady?"

Hermione turned her head back to face the masked man. It took two seconds before his words registered and in that time, she stared into his eyes blankly. When his words finally made their way through her foggy brain, her hand unconsciously came to rest at the locket around her neck.

All that was visible was the chain. The actual locket, containing a picture of her mother and father, was hidden beneath the bodice of her gown.

"I-I-" Her words faltered as she watched the man's wand come forward again. She stayed incredibly still as his wand dipped under the thin chain at her throat and slowly moved downwards. When he reached the top of her gown, he lifted slightly and the locket slipped out from its hiding place.

"It's worth nothing." Hermione whispered truthfully.

"Then you won't mind if I place it in the bag your friend is so kindly filling." He replied.

His hands moved closer as if he was going to reach out and undo the clasp behind her neck. Hermione didn't quite believe his actions until she felt his gloved fingers slip under her hair and stoke her nape.

She froze. "It's the only item I have left of my parents!" she blurted out loudly.

The highwayman tensed for a moment as he regarded her silently. His hands fell back slowly. "Show me." He said in a quiet rumble.

Hermione blinked twice. "P-Pardon?"

"Show me the inside of the locket." He repeated as he took a step closer.

Hermione quickly fumbled for the latch and opened the locket. She tensed briefly and backed away a step as the man leaned in close.

"I won't harm you." He said as he noticed her retreating movements.

Hermione ignored his words and simply held her breath as he leaned in to study the miniatures. His hand came to hold the locket and he tilted it so the moon shone directly onto the inside surface. It was two long moments before he gently closed the latch and let it drop back down. Hermione's own hand came to wrap the locket in her fist and she was surprised to feel that the jewelry still held the warmth of his hand.

"Very well. Since your friend is being so generous, I'll overlook your locket."

He moved back a step and Hermione took in a breath of relief. From beside her, Astoria was removing her rings in a daze and the highwayman looked over at her coldly. When she'd dropped the last of the rings into the bag, the accomplice closed the sack with a clink and began to walk away.

The highwayman stared silently at the two of them for a few more seconds before Hermione saw his lips tilt in the corners to resemble a smile.

"It's been a... pleasurable experience ladies."

He tipped his hat in a polite manner before walking back to his horse. Whistling loudly, he swung up in one swift motion and turned his horse around. His two accomplices were already galloping away into the night, but instead of following them at the same gait, the man kicked his horse gently and the animal began a slow trot away from them.

Hermione couldn't breathe. The same thought kept running through her head. That was it? she wanted to yell. He'd stopped their carriage, taken Astoria's valuables and now he was just going to stroll down the road?

Like everyone who regularly read the Daily Prophet, she'd read the terrible stories of highwaymen stopping carriages up and down the country over the last few years. Compared to the tall tales in the newspaper, what had just happened seemed...almost mundane.

In the next second, Hermione was scoffing at herself. The evening must have addled her brain even more so than she'd thought if she wasn't pleased that things had been so prosaic.

"Oh Merlin." Astoria said in a weak voice.

Hermione instantly turned towards the girl. She was shaking in fear, her body leaning heavily against the carriage as her breath made faint white wisps in the cold air. Hermione's attention was instantly switched to making sure she was okay.

"Oh Astoria. Everything is okay. We're both fine." she reassured.

Astoria made no vocal response although her hands did come up to clutch onto Hermione's arms.

"Come along. Let's get you into the carriage and out of the cold." Hermione said in a no-nonsense voice.

The two fumbled for a short moment until Astoria managed to get her legs in working order so she could climb into the carriage. Hermione made sure she was settled, rearranging a blanket so she was warmly tucked into her seat, before she stepped back out so she could try and wake Jim.

The man was still lying face down on the ground and Hermione lifted the hem of her skirt and hurried over to him. Bending down, she strained to turn the burly man over. He had a gash that was still bleeding slightly on his forehead but any other cuts or bruises remained hidden in the moonlight.

"Mr Higgins." she said as she shook the man's shoulder in an effort to rouse him. When he made no indication that he'd heard her words, she repeated them with a more vigorous shake.

"I don't think that will wake him." said a voice from behind Hermione.

She instantly straightened and whirled around in fright. Her eyes landed on the highwayman.

Why was he back? Oh Merlin- did he really want to take their carriage?

Her thoughts must have flashed across her face because the man spoke. "I came back because I forgot something." he said in answer.

Hermione's hand unconsciously moved to fist her locket in protection.

The man's eyes followed her movements. "I already gave you my word that I would not be taking your locket this evening."

"Then what is it that you want?" Hermione demanded in a shaking voice. "You have already taken everything of value."

"Not everything." he said as he stepped closer to her.

Hermione's retreat was halted by Jim's body lying on the floor behind her. When she realised that escape was not an option, not that she would ever leave Astoria to face this incorrigible man alone, she lifted her chin in defiance.

"You cannot mean to take our carriage? Not when you've disposed of our escort." she pointed out.

The man scoffed but continued to move closer. "Your so called escort would have awoken already had he not been so foxed on Lord Brown's ale. I hardly think it's fair to blame me for his excessive drinking habits."

Hermione didn't know how to reply. What was she to do now? Accomplished as she was, commandeering a carriage was not something she had ever tried in her life. And what of Mr Higgins? Was she supposed to simply leave him on the side of the road?

Shaking her head, she tried to remove the racing thoughts from her head. She had a much more important matter to deal with right now. This horrible man was trying to steal her carriage!

"Regardless of Mr Higgins's alcohol consumption, I simply cannot allow you to take the carriage!"

"Miss Granger?" Astoria called out softly.

Hermione berated herself for speaking so loudly. She didn't want to make Astoria aware of the man's presence. She had been scared enough for one night.

"Everything's fine Astoria. I'm simply trying to rouse Mr Higgins." she called out in what she hoped was a normal tone.

When there was no response, Hermione sighed in relief.

"If I wanted your carriage- I would have taken it five minutes ago."

Hermione turned her head back to the man. "Then what have you forgotten? There is nothing left for you here!"

"You're wrong." he said softly.

Stepping a foot closer, he closed the distance between them. Hermione was now forced to tilt her back in order to see the man's face. When she saw his hand slowly reach out from the corner of her eye, she froze. Slowly, he reached out and touched her shoulder. Skimming his hand slowly down her left arm, he finally grasped her hand and lifted it upwards.

He wasn't wearing gloves anymore, Hermione noticed vaguely. The warmth from his hand heated her frozen one.

"I forgot to do this." he said quietly.

Without taking his eyes off hers, he slipped something onto her finger. Hermione looked down to see what it was and her eyes landed on Astoria's emerald engagement ring, resting on her fourth finger. She gasped in a tight breath of air.

Startled, she looked up at the man to see him staring at her intensely.

Grey eyes…

Hermione opened her mouth to say something but no words would form. He didn't wait for her throat to clear.

"I told you that the ring is yours. No other woman will wear it on her finger."

The echoing words of the conversation she'd had under a hour ago in Lady Brown's orangery, shook her to her very core.

"Oh Merlin." she breathed out as she stared at the ring on her finger.

Her eyes filled with tears at the picture. She couldn't do this. What about- "Astoria." she said hoarsely.

Draco said nothing for a few moments, simply held her hands tightly in his. Finally he spoke.

"I'm sorry." he rumbled out. Hermione's head flew up at his words. She doubted very much that those words had ever passed the arrogant Marquis' lips before. "I was angry and acted rashly. I will find a way to fix it."

Hermione shook her head. "Astoria is a good woman. She will make an excellent wife."

"Yes she will... but not to me."

"She's depending on this. It's too late to-"

Her words were cut off when her highwayman pressed his lips against hers. Unlike her first kiss, which had been gentle and coaxing, this was all heat and passion and promise. When he broke away, Hermione had to stop herself from following his retreating lips.

Her eyes were still closed when she felt his fingers curl around her chin and lift her head upwards. Her eyes flew open and stared into his.

"I have chosen the woman I wish to be my Marchioness. And I will have her regardless of what the _ton_ thinks. She's mine. And as a Marquis, no-one will dare say anything if they wish to remain in my favour. Don't you agree Miss Granger?"

His words were so wonderful and yet she still hesitated. His grasp tightened a little more.

"Don't you agree?" he repeated strongly.

And then Hermione spoke the one word that sealed her fate. "Yes." she whispered.

He didn't say anything else. It seemed all he wanted to hear was that one word. Waving his wand, he placed the counter-charm on Mr Higgins before apparating away in the next moment.

Hermione stared at the area where he had disapparated from, her left hand curling into a tight fist. Her heart felt as if it was fit to burst.

Yes Hermione Granger had been sorely mistaken. In all her years, she had never experienced the emotions that were currently swirling around her body.

* * *

_Author's Note: So it's the Masked Man Take Two. What do you think now? Better? Less confusing? If you still have any questions then please don't hesitate to PM me. I'm so sorry for all the mess with this oneshot but in the end I suppose it was all worth it since I think it reads better now. Seems less choppy which might have been the thing that I mentioned was wrong in the last oneshot but couldn't figure out. Thank You so much to everyone who's already reviewed, you guys continue to knock my socks off. Until next time (I promise it won't be for this oneshot), Curiositykils.  
_


	33. Fields of Gold

**Fields of Gold  
**

**2681 words**

**Rating: M  
**

* * *

**_You'll remember me when the west wind moves  
Among the fields of barley  
You can tell the sun in his jealous sky  
When we walked in fields of gold_**

ooo**_  
_**

Draco Malfoy woke suddenly.

For a second he lay still in his bed, his body feeling like it had just been dropped from his dreams and it needed to regain its equilibrium.

In the next second, he remembered the need to breathe and took in rapid panting breaths to relieve the ache in his chest.

He could feel the cold sweat on his face and body. His back was wet and stuck to the silk sheets.

As the dreams and memories swept over him, he had to grit his teeth from crying out loud.

He rubbed a hand over his forehead in a bid to rid his mind from the night that continued to haunt him.

Four months.

Bloody four months and every night he dreamt the same thing.

His heart still thundering in his chest, he swung the light cover off his body and swung his legs over the bed.

His head spun but he forced himself to stand and move over to the table in the corner of the room. His hands automatically poured a tumbler of amber coloured liquid into a thin crystal glass.

He gulped down the contents in one go.

The fluid stung his throat and pulled him that much further from the dream that was still whispering to him.

As he poured a second glass, he noticed the fine tremor that shook his hands. From experience, he knew that it would spread quickly over his body if he didn't clamp down and get control of the adrenaline coursing through him.

Taking the whiskey, he stumbled over to the large chair in front of the fireplace.

Its flames flickered and crackled, creating shadowing dances across the walls of his bedroom.

Sitting down, he took another calmer sip of the fluid and stared into the flames until his eyes burned from the sharp light.

When the pain was too much, he closed them.

One question ran through his head.

When was he going to forget?

When would she leave him alone?

ooo

**_So she took her love for to gaze awhile  
Among the fields of barley  
In his arms she fell as her hair came down  
Among the fields of gold_**

ooo

His heart thundered in his chest as he ran through the winding corridors of Hogwarts.

In the dark halls, his footsteps were loud, like elephants stampeding in the wild, not simply those of a seventeen year old boy running for his life.

Gasping in shallow breaths of air, he turned the corner and found himself at an indoor crossroads.

His eyes and ears strained, hoping to pick up the sound of the Death Eaters so he could run in the opposite direction.

He heard nothing other than his heart beating in his ears. Holding his breath for one moment, he randomly picked left and flung his body down the corridor.

The light coming from the moon through the open windows was his only source of light. Still, he blindly ran into the darkness.

When his lungs felt on the brink of collapse, his body stopped running and he bent over at his knees, his dry mouth gulping in breaths of cold air.

He froze when he heard a faint mumbling from a short distance in front of him. His head snapped up but in the darkness, he could only make out a few meters ahead.

With wide eyes, he crept backwards, his body trembling with a new burst of adrenaline that it would need to run again.

"Help…" he heard a faint voice whisper.

He stopped backing away at the sound. Hesitating for a moment, he waited and debated whether it was a trap.

"Please…" the same voice called out. It was followed by a harsh gurgling cough.

The first though that ran through his head was that the person was injured. The second was that he would physically be able to overpower them if need be.

And so he steadily walked forward.

And then he saw her. The breath he was holding was exhaled out in one harsh breath as he recognized the girl.

"Fucking hell." He whispered to himself. "Fuck…Fucking hell."

His last few steps were larger and quicker until he was stood directly over her prone body. He didn't need to hear the squelching of his boots to realize what the puddle he'd stepped was. In the dim light, it merely looked black and thick as it dripped from her body to the floor.

"Shit. Granger- what the fuck happened?" he demanded angrily.

He had seen the girl not twenty minutes in the Great Hall, fighting off Death Eaters with the rest of the Order.

"M-Malfoy." She whispered his name hoarsely.

He looked back at the direction he had just come from. How far had he run from the crossroads? How long would it take him to run back and pick another corridor? Would there be any Death Eaters waiting there?

When he felt something brush against his leg, he looked down. It was her hand.

"Please…" Tears glistened on her cheeks and he simply stared at her for two seconds. Then he quickly stepped back so she couldn't touch him anymore.

Evidently needing the contact, he saw her move towards him but halt with a sharp cry of pain. It was followed by a sob.

"Shit." He swore again.

He rubbed his eyes with his clammy hands, desperately wishing that when he opened them again, she would have disappeared.

She didn't. Of course she didn't. It was fucking Granger. When had she ever disappeared when he'd wished it so the numerous time over the last seven years?

Get the fuck out of here Draco, his mind shouted at himself. He wanted to follow the command. Yet, something stopped him.

Earlier tonight, she and the rest of the Golden Trio had saved his life in the Come and Go Room. He owed her a life debt.

Bloody hell. Where in Merlin's balls were Potty and Weasel? Hadn't they noticed that their best friend was lying in a corridor dying? That their trio was about to become a duo?

"Please Malfoy…"

His mouth swore once more before he tensed his muscles for action. Striding back over to her, he bent down and reached out to lift her shoulders up.

"Argh! No please! It hurts!"

Her cry was so loud that he dropped her back onto the floor without care. His head rapidly looked this way and that, trying to see if her words had attracted any unwanted attention.

Fuck. What was he doing? He needed to run. His life was more important than some Mudblood's.

ooo

**_Will you stay with me will you be my love  
Among the fields of barley  
And you can tell the sun in his jealous sky  
When we walked in fields of gold_**

ooo

His drop must have caused her more pain than he thought because she was now crying steadily.

Silently…but steadily.

He swallowed the lump in his throat and tried to wet his lips with his dehydrated tongue.

He shook his head. "I can't. I can't Granger. Fuck. I have to go. I have to go."

"No! Please…don't leave me. By myself. No…please."

Shit.

His hands ran through his head in aggravation. Still kneeling beside her, he could feel her blood seeping into his trousers and touching his knees.

Her small hand came flying out and grabbed onto his with a surprising amount of strength.

"Please…stay." Her breath came out in harsher wheezes.

His heart skipped a beat and might have stopped working altogether in the next moment when he heard a very faint cackle in the distance.

His dear Aunt. Bugger.

"Granger. We have to get out of here. You have to get up." He demanded angrily.

"No…Can't. Please. Stay. Few minutes…Only a few more minutes."

He looked down into her eyes and swore again.

"You want _me_ to fulfill your fucking dying wish? There are a few dozen people in the Great Hall who would gladly sit with you." He told her. "I can go and get them." He lied.

"No…not alone. Please. Not alone."

He got the meaning of her mumbled words. She didn't want to die alone.

"Please." She croaked out again.

And his legs buckled out from under him.

They sat in silence for the first minute. Well, silence meant that no words were spoken but he listened to her weak lungs trying to keep her body going.

"Tell me."

His head moved so he was looking back down at her. His brow furrowed. "Tell you what Granger?"

She breathed in and out once before she spoke again. "Anything. Tell me. Don't…want to…die here. In this place."

Her eyes fluttered before closing and he felt his heart tighten in his chest. Was that it? Was she dead?

"Granger." He said out loud.

She didn't re-open her eyes but she replied. "Tell me anything. I…can dream. Far away."

Swallowing another lump in his throat, the hand that held hers tightened unconsciously. And then he opened his mouth and babbled about the first thing that came to mind. Something he hadn't thought of in years.

"When I was younger my mother would apparate me to this field. Whenever my father got angry she would come into my room and we would leave."

He stopped speaking to check to make sure she was still breathing. Her chest was falling up and down and she had a small smile on her face.

Merlin, he had put a smile on Granger's face. Things were definitely bollocksed.

He continued. "It was a field of barley. I don't even know where it was. I never asked my mother but it was our place. Just ours…I remember running through the field when I was a child. It was always sunny."

"Sounds…nice."

He smiled as he remembered the "carefree" days. "It was."

ooo

**_I never made promises lightly  
And there have been some that I've broken  
But I swear in the days still left  
We will walk in fields of gold  
_**

ooo

"We would spend the entire day there sometimes. Just playing games. My mother was like a different person at the barley field. It was my favourite place in the world."

There was another brief pause as he checked to see if she was still breathing. Was it his imagination, or did she look paler?

He ignored her pallor and looked away.

"The last time that I was there-"

He stopped suddenly when he heard a second cackle. This time however, it was dangerously close. He looked back at Granger's face and then his eyes fell onto their clasped hands.

His own chest started heaving as he drew in erratic breaths.

"Granger…Granger, I have to go."

He saw her eyes fly open and stare panicked into his. His hand twisted to remove itself from her grasp.

"No…No Malfoy. Please…" she begged as tears dripped down her cheeks.

He shook his head. His spare hand now joined the process of wrenching his right hand from hers.

"They're coming Granger. I can't be here. I can't let them find me."

He pulled his hand from hers and she cried out, her now empty hand scrambling desperately for him.

"Please…" she sobbed. "I'm scared. Don't…leave…alone…please…please."

He clambered up to his feet. "Shit. Granger. I'm sorry. I can't stay- I can't stay."

"Draco…please don't leave me."

To his horror, he felt his own eyes tearing. The bodily function angered him.

"Fuck Granger! No! I have to go."

And then he ran.

He left her lying on the floor sobbing loudly and he ran for his life.

ooo

**_Many years have passed since those summer days  
Among the fields of barley  
See the children run as the sun goes down  
As you lie in fields of gold_**

ooo**_  
_**

Draco snapped out of the memories and reopened his eyes.

It was with a jolt of shock that he realised the first rays of sun were shining into his room. A glance at the mantelpiece told him that it was quarter to six in the morning.

Twisting his hand upwards, he swallowed the rest of the liquid in one fell swoop.

Even awake, his mind began to replay his recurrent dream.

Granger was in that barley field, wearing a white dress and a whimsical summer hat. She ran through the field like he'd done as a child. Occasionally, she would look back over her shoulder at him and smile and beckon.

Her hands would be spread out as she ran her fingers through the crops. Her face would be tilted to the sun as she absorbed the warmth.

And in the next second it would all change. She would stop running with a jolt, an ever-growing red splotch beginning to spread over her dress.

It would only take a few short seconds for it to cover her entire torso.

He would do nothing but stand there numb and stare. When she began to fall, he would run towards her.

But he would never reach her.

She would be only a few meters away and no matter how fast or hard he ran…

She would fall to her knees, her doe eyes now staring at him, yearning for him to give her comfort.

But he couldn't bloody reach her.

And then as she breathed her last breath…he would wake. Safe and sound in his own bed.

Alive in his own bed.

ooo

**_You'll remember me when the west wind moves  
Among the fields of barley  
You can tell the sun in his jealous sky  
When we walked in fields of gold_**

ooo

It didn't take a damn psychologist to tell him what the dreams…nightmares…meant.

He knew where she'd been buried. In a fucking field of barley belonging to the Weasley's.

He'd seen pictures of the funeral in the Prophet as it marked the one month anniversary of her death.

Till this day, droves of people from the Wizarding World flocked to the site to lay flowers and pay their respect.

Draco had never been.

He didn't deserve to encroach on her final resting place. Not after what he had done.

And yet at six in the morning that very same day, he found himself walking in a field of barley.

Her grave was under a shaded fruit tree. When he reached it, he fell to his knees.

"I'M SORRY!" he yelled at the headstone. "I'M SORRY!"

His yells resonated across the field. So did the pounding of his fists on the ground.

Hopefully they would keep anyone else at bay. He wanted no-one to see his tears.

"Fuck, Granger. I'm sorry!" he half whispered, half cried.

He wept there alone for a few minutes. His heart felt as if it would break through his chest with the strength of his sobs.

With every spare breath, he whispered apologies and pleaded for forgiveness.

He didn't know how long he knelt there, but when it seemed like all the water in his body had been spent, the sun was beating down on his back strongly.

Its rays shone onto her headstone and her name sparkled.

And then he felt it.

A strong breeze swept through the field and whirled around him. The strength of it caused his weak body to crumple and topple over, until he was lying completely on his back.

The sun shone directly onto his face and he closed his eyes.

The breeze continued to flurry around him. Leaves were thrown up into the air. Bits of dirt attacked his skin.

And then as soon as it had come, it went.

The leaves settled down onto his body and for the first time in a long time, he felt himself take in a complete breath of clean air.

He was absolved.

ooo

**_You'll remember me when the west wind moves  
Among the fields of barley  
You can tell the sun in his jealous sky  
When we walked in fields of gold_**

* * *

_Author's Note: The song that inspired this depressing oneshot is Fields of Gold by Eva Cassidy, previously written and sung by Sting. I wrote the oneshot early this morning when my ipod shuffled to this song. Since I'm going to a fancy dress party tonight, I want to get out of this maudlin mood so hopefully by uploading it, I'll have taken it out of my mind. Once again, I'd like to apologise for all the updates/mess with the last chapter but I think the newer ending works better. Thank you for reading and until next time, Curiositykils. _**_  
_**


	34. Cold as Ice

**Cold as Ice  
**

**554 words**

**Rating: K  
**

* * *

Draco Malfoy was in that stage of sleep where his eyes were dropping down to a close so he could slip into the night's dreams.

His mind was fuzzy and before he was claimed, he reached his arm out so it could snake around his wife's waist.

Eyes went down, blinked open again in one last struggle before gravity became too much of a burden.

Breathing in, Draco took in one last deep, contented breath.

His wife shifted closer to him, his own body automatically moving to accommodate her new position… and then he yelped out loud.

Adrenaline buzzed through his system as he jerked away from the icy foot that had niggled and lodged itself between his thighs.

"What?" his wife said sleepily.

"Your feet are freezing!"

"I'm cold." His wife replied.

Draco spluttered. "So you thought freezing my own legs would be a good idea?" he asked sarcastically.

"Your feet are warm. They're always warm." His wife yawned at the end of her sentence.

"And I'd like to keep them that way!"

His wife chose to reply physically… by moving her icy feet back towards him to seek out his warmth. Draco jerked backwards on the bed so he could escape.

"Put a warming charm on them." He told her.

His wife made a muffled whiny noise from her cocoon of duvet. "Then I have to get my arms out from under the duvet. It's cold." She repeated.

Draco merely looked at his wife in disbelief for a few seconds before he realised that she actually wasn't going to reach for her wand.

With rolling eyes, he reached for his own and placed the charm on her feet. His wife's contented sigh was his reward.

Smiling evilly, he flicked his wand once more before he placed it back on his bedside table. Taking extra care, he moved back into his earlier position.

He waited until his wife burrowed her head against his shoulder, a sure sign that she was drifting off to sleep… and then he struck.

His own charmed frozen feet bent upwards and dug into his wife's thighs. She yelped in surprise and her head flew upwards…right into his chin.

"Draco! What are you doing?" his wife asked with a tinge of pain in her voice as she rubbed her head.

Draco was too busy rubbing the chin his wife had just head-butted to answer her question.

Unfortunately for him, his wife's pain seemed to ebb away more quickly than his because the next thing he knew, he was being swatted in the stomach with her small cold hands.

"Evil, sneaky ferret." She stated. "What in Merlin's name was that for?" she demanded.

Draco stopped rubbing his throbbing chin and captured his wife's hands in one of his. With his spare hand, he reached for his wand and placed the counter charm on his feet before he pulled the duvet over the two of them.

"Payback sweetheart, I am an ex-Slytherin. Did you think I would simply accept an attack without taking retribution?"

His wife harrumphed in annoyance but when he let go of her hands, she settled back against him quietly.

In the darkness of their bedroom, Draco Malfoy smiled smugly. His wife may have smoothed out some of the Slytheriness in him, but she hadn't got it all.

* * *

_Author's Note: I was saving this oneshot for a rainy day, however I decided to upload it today because I think I'm nearly ready to write the continuation to the last Rut oneshot and thought it would be best to break up the angsty chapters with some fluff. I'm warning you now though... you might not like me very much after the next update...Draco either! Until next time, Curiositykils._


	35. Rut Prolonged

**Rut Prolonged**

**Sequel to More than a Rut  
**

**646 words**

**Rating: K  
**

* * *

Hermione lay awake in her bed and studied the ceiling.

She couldn't believe it had come to this.

Her nose began to tickle and her throat ached as a new round of sobs threatened to emerge.

Eight weeks, she had been strong. Since the last night that Draco had laid in this bed, she had not let one tear escape.

And yet now…

Her stomach cramped once again and the sobs burst out.

Hermione ran her hand over her belly and pressed against it tightly.

She had never before felt so…disgusting. So unworthy of being a woman.

She didn't understand. She had been upfront with Draco from the beginning.

All this time? Had he simply lied to her from day one? _Why?_

Hermione hadn't waited to find out.

After hearing the damning words, she had apparated away but not before Draco could see how his words had stabbed her through the heart.

This was all the bloody Ministry's fault. How was she to know that they would only grant a divorce if she and Draco had been separated for six months?

If she had known, then she would have simply asked Draco to wait two more months before he filed the damn papers.

At least then they wouldn't have been ordered to attend the stupid marriage counseling classes.

At least then she could go on believing that Draco had simply fallen out of love with her…and that he wasn't divorcing her because of this.

Turning on her side, Hermione curled up into a ball and dug her knees into her mouth to stifle the sobs.

Her eyes stung from the tears and her eyelashes matted together.

In the end, she simply closed them.

Only the loss of studying her ceiling allowed her mind to wander back to that afternoon and that fateful last meeting with the marriage counselor.

At first, Hermione had dreaded the weekly meetings. But they allowed her hourly glimpses of Draco where she could remember the good times in their relationship.

That had all changed in the last three weeks when the marriage counselor had begun asking probing questions into why their marriage had broken down.

It was then that Hermione had begun dreading the meetings.

And today's…

A wash of despair settled over her as she remembered…

_"You've both been married for just over three years. Did you ever discuss having children?" _

_Hermione stiffened, her hands curling into fists in her lap. From the corner of her eye, she saw Draco's entire body become rigid. _

_She glanced over at him and waited in silence for him to explain their situation. _

_When he didn't, she turned her head to face him. _

_He had been looking at her, but when she caught his eye, he quickly looked away. _

_And then she knew. _

_Tears immediately sprang to her eyes as she gasped in a little breath. _

_She saw the marriage counselor looking between them silently. _

_Hermione broke it. _

_"Is- is that why?" she whispered hoarsely. _

_Draco still didn't turn to her. _

_"Is that why?" Hermione cried out. _

_"Hermione…" he finally spoke. _

_"I t-told you…from the beginning…you p-promised me that it didn't matter to you!"_

_"Hermione…" _

_An echoing sob escaped her throat. _

_"You told me that it would never matter. You said that there were other ways…" _

_Draco finally turned to face her. He had tears in his eyes. _

_"You promised me…Oh Merlin, I have to go-" Hermione said as she quickly scrambled up from her seat. _

_Draco stood too. "Hermione please-"_

_"No!" Hermione cried out loudly as she swirled to face him. "You lied to me." _

_And then she had apparated away. _

Hermione scrubbed the corner of the quilt over her wet cheeks. The rough material stung the soft skin.

This was it…her life was over.

What man would ever want a useless woman like her?

A woman who couldn't even give her husband a child.

* * *

_Author's Note: Don't hate me! The story isn't over yet as you can tell. I've written the next chapter and will upload it sometime next week. There will be at least one more chapter after that and you'll see that things aren't as simple as they appear to be. Thank you for reading and until next time, Curiositykils. _


	36. The Experiment

**The Experiment  
**

**2732 words**

**Rating: T  
**

* * *

Draco Malfoy stalked through the aisles of the library in a paced but determined stroll.

It was quiet. The candles on the walls that lit the area flickered slightly in the wind that was coming in through the open windows.

The place was practically empty. Since he'd entered a few minutes ago, the only other person he had seen other than the old coot at the front desk, was a freckled fifth year as he scribbled away rapidly on a piece of parchment.

The boy either hadn't managed to get a date for the dance or he had an assignment due for Monday.

Draco smiled at the thought. The boy looked like he was a Hufflepuff…he was without a date, he decided.

Putting the boy out of his thoughts, he went back to thinking about the witch who was the reason why he was in this forsaken place in the first place.

He had been watching her all night.

He'd watched her enter the ball on Pothead's and Weasel's arm.

He'd seen Pothead dance with She-Weasel.

He'd seen Weasel dance with Brown.

He'd seen Pothead comforting her at the Weasel's actions.

He'd seen Weasel slobbering all over Brown.

And in the few seconds where he'd closed his eyes and grimaced, he'd missed seeing her flee the Hall.

It hadn't taken him long to determine that she'd left. In a hall full of witches wearing gaudy dresses of fluorescent pink and hooker red, her simple white dress had been like a shining beacon.

It also hadn't taken him long to determine where she would go.

And that was why he was here now.

Weasel may be an idiot…but he certainly wasn't. And he wasn't about to leave these hallowed halls without tasting those virginal lips.

That's all it was…a small taste was all he needed. How to get that taste was where it got tricky.

But he had a plan…a plan that would be sure to work. He'd seen how riled up she got when she thought her personal character was being attacked.

It would be like taking a pumpkin pasty from a baby.

He turned a corner and his eyes fell on her. She was sitting Indian style on a large chair, half hidden in an alcove. Her shoes had been slipped off and were lying at the foot of her seat and her dress had twisted around her legs, a small expanse of pale skin showing.

Draco didn't make her aware of his presence. He simply watched her silently. Her head was bent, hair falling in waves around her face as she studied the thick book propped up on her knees.

After a few moments, he cleared his throat. Her head flew up and for a second, she looked at him with blank eyes before they narrowed into sharp slits as her brain registered his company.

Her back stiffened, her legs dropped to the floor, feet slipped back into her shoes, the book snapped shut and she stood quickly.

"Malfoy? What are you doing here?" she asked.

Draco smiled and leaned against the bookshelf. "I could ask you the same question." He countered.

He saw her throat swallow. "I left the ball early."

"Ditto."

He watched her shift her weight from one foot to the other. Her eyes flickered to the book she had been reading before they moved back to him.

"Well…I'll just be going then." She said as she started to walk towards him in order to leave.

When she was a few steps away, Draco straightened and took a step of his own. As he had expected, she faltered in her stride before she came to a hesitant stop. He moved until he was standing a few feet away from her.

"I saw Weasel with Brown a few minutes ago." He commented as he studied her reaction. Other than a slight clench in her jaw, her face remained blank.

"He was slobbering all over her. If I had to choose between him or the giant's dog, I would choose the dog every time."

He smiled slightly as he watched her shoulder's relax at his words. An answering smile even formed on her lips.

"But then again, I suppose if you're being kissed so well you lose your mind…And there's me thinking I was the only one capable of giving such heady pleasure."

Her eyes narrowed once more and Draco now smiled in triumph.

"Oh please Malfoy. I'm sure Lavender knew exactly where she was and Ron too. As for you- I hardly believe your claim."

"You don't?" he stated.

"No Malfoy, I don't. No matter what someone is doing, their brain is always in charge. They are always aware of their surroundings."

"And what if they're high off Humberbunger fumes?"

"Fine Malfoy. Yes if they're taking drugs then they obviously wouldn't be thinking straight. But I'm talking about the majority of people."

"So you don't believe that a witch can lose her mind to pleasure?"

A tiny furrow appeared in the middle of her forehead as she stared at him in silence before she let out a short, uncomfortable laugh.

"I think I'm going to leave now."

She made to move to the right in order to walk around him and he quickly moved his body and stepped in her path. She looked up at him with wide eyes. They quickly showed anger.

"Move Malfoy."

"Answer the question and I will."

"What?"

"Answer the question and I will move."

Her scoff came in the form of a sharp exhale of breath through her nose. "Fine Malfoy. No. The answer to your question is no. And if they do then they obviously don't have a very strong mind."

Draco stared at her for two seconds. "How about you put that to the test?"

"Excuse me?" she said slowly.

"If you truly believe the words coming out of your mouth then you obviously haven't ever participated in the act."

"I've been kissed before!" She stated indignantly.

Krum and Weasel…he felt the need to hex their mouths off. Draco brushed the feeling off.

"Evidently not correctly."

"I'll have you know that they were…very nice kisses."

Draco laughed. "Nice?" he said sarcastically.

He watched her mouth tighten as she gritted her teeth. Her eyes flashed daggers at him.

"Move Malfoy." She hissed.

Draco leveled of his laugh until it was a smile curling at his lips. "Shall I prove it to you Granger?" he asked softly.

"Prove what?" she said angrily.

He moved a step closer to her. "Shall I prove to you that…a physical distraction…can cause a witch to lose her mind?"

She scoffed again. "And how would you prove that Malfoy? I've seen the witches you date. You couldn't string two brain cells together between all of them."

Harsh…but true, Draco thought.

"How I about I pick a witch who has more than two brain cells…a witch who probably has the strongest mind I know."

"I highly doubt that anyone in your house qualifies Malfoy."

"Who said she had to be a Slytherin?"

"Ravenclaw? Padma Patil?"

"No. Not her. I don't think Blaise would be too happy if I made out with his girlfriend."

"One of her friends then?"

"Why do you think I would pick a Ravenclaw?" he asked.

She scoffed again. "Like you would stoop to us lowly Gryffindor's or Hufflepuff's."

"To prove a point I would stoop to anything." He stated.

His words caused a sigh to escape from her mouth and she waved her hands in the air. "Well then who?" she asked, annoyance tingeing her voice.

"You Granger."

Draco watched her reaction closely. Mentally he ticked off all the steps of her reaction one by one.

Eyes widening. Check.

Pink lips opening to gasp in a breath. Check.

Piercing stare which promised death. Check.

Indignant squeal. "Excuse Me!"…Check.

"Get out of my way Malfoy. I'm leaving."

Draco let her pass before studying her back as he walked away from him determinedly. He let her walk far enough for her to think he had let her go before he called out.

"And there I was, thinking that Gryffindor's were renowned for their courage and bravery."

She stopped dead in her path…Check!

With all her fury, she whipped around to face him. Her hair flew, her dress flew, he was certain her shoes would have flown if she'd thought of it.

Those heels looked like they could do him some damage.

"What did you just say?" she asked as she stomped and click clacked back towards him. She didn't give him time to answer before she continued. "I'm not a coward Malfoy. And you have no right to call me one. After everything that happened during the war- I think this is a case of the pot calling the kettle black don't you think?"

Her comment hit a sore spot. He made a mental note to punish her later on.

"I think you made my point. You were so brave during the war. And yet you're scared to carry out this little experiment with me?"

"It's hardly an experiment Malfoy!" she said loudly.

He glanced around to make sure that they were still alone. They were.

"Of course it's simply an experiment. You have your hypothesis and I have mine. This is the only way we can prove who's right."

"You certainly have a high opinion of yourself don't you?"

Draco stood up a little straighter and smiled smugly. "I've had no complaints yet Granger." He said silkily.

His comment seemed to throw her off but she regained her composure quickly.

"I am not kissing you Malfoy so you can forget it." She swirled away from him and began stomping back the steps she had regained.

Draco sighed. He had hoped that the attack on her character would have been enough but she was being particularly stubborn tonight. He knew what he had to do.

Opening his mouth, he took in a large breath of air. "Bawk. Buc buc buc buc. Bawk!" he squawked ungainly.

Upon hearing the chicken noises, she stopped in her tracks again and turned.

"Are you honestly that immature?" she asked rhetorically.

"Are you honestly that frightened?" he countered.

And then he knew that he'd got her.

Her head flew up, nose in the air, chin stuck out and she stalked towards him.

"How is this going to work?" she demanded.

Draco smiled. Pumpkin pasty from a baby. "First I kiss you. Then, I'll ask you a simple question. If you answer correctly, you win. Answer incorrectly and I win."

She frowned at him and folded her arms across her chest. "One kiss?"

"One kiss." He assured. That was all he needed…

"Fine." She agreed.

Draco merely stared at her for a few seconds before he grabbed onto her arm and pulled her back to the shadowed aisle she had been reading in. Of course, she didn't go quietly.

"What do you think you are doing?" she squawked as she tried to wrench her arm out from his.

"I thought you'd prefer a little more privacy."

Her wriggling stopped instantly. "Oh yes. I don't want anyone to see me kissing you."

Draco mentally added another punishment. When they reached the aisle, he drew her deeper into the stacks and lightly maneuvered her so that she was trapped between his body and the heavy tomes behind her.

"Ready?" he asked her.

She rolled her eyes in response. "Yes Malfoy."

His lips formed one last smile before he bent his head. His palms cupped and titled her head back slightly so their height differences weren't a problem.

For the first few seconds, his lips brushed against his lightly so he could get her used to him. When he felt her relax her body into him, he kissed her with a little more pressure. Her mouth was so warm against his. Her lips sweet. Teasingly, he coaxed them apart, still making sure to keep the kiss light.

He didn't have a clue how much time had passed when he felt her lips tremble in the beginnings of a moan.

He lifted his head and looked down at her flushed face. Her eyes were still closed, her mouth still parted. He had to shake his head to remember he needed to ask her a question.

"The question." He said out loud. Her eyes opened but they were still a little dazed. "In the Amazon rainforest there is a tall coconut tree by a sparkling river. Out of the following animals, which can get to the top and get the banana the quickest? The monkey, tiger or snake?"

"The monkey." She replied instantly.

Draco smiled. "Wrong." He told her. A look of confusion passed over her face. "Coconut tress don't grow bananas."

His lips stretched into a grin as she watched her replay the question in her mind. She scowled when she realised she'd been wrong.

"That was a trick question. Ask me another one."

Draco smiled. "Very well." He said as his head moved back down.

Hers went flying back until it banged into the books. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"One kiss. One question."

She gritted her teeth in anger but said nothing. He took her silence as acceptance when she gave him one last look before closing her eyes.

Draco touched her lips with his again. This time he wasn't as cautious. He took what he wanted, his mouth opening her lips so his tongue could sweep inside. His arms wound around her waist and brought her body tight against his. Unconsciously, her arms went around his neck, her fingers splaying in his hair.

He allowed himself to hear two moans before he pulled his head back.

They both gasped in breaths of air and stared at each other dizzily. In the back of his mind, Draco remembered the question.

"Would you rather have a tiger eat you or a lion?"

"What? I- I don't know, the tiger." She picked.

Draco looked down at her. "I would rather have the tiger eat the lion but each to their own I suppose."

Once again, her face scrunched slightly as she puzzled out the question. And then anger again.

"Ask me another one." She demanded furiously, not willing to give in until she answered one of the questions correctly.

Gladly, Draco thought as he kissed her again.

When he broke it this time, the two of them were panting heavily. His mind felt so heavy he couldn't even think of what his own name was, let alone remember a question to ask her.

"The question." She murmured hoarsely against his neck.

Draco put his struggling mind in gear. "Some months have thirty days. Some have thirty one. Which month has twenty eight days?"

"February!" she gasped out triumphantly.

Seeing the beaming smile spread across her face, Draco was nearly ready to let her believe she'd won. But he knew how stubborn she was…and he wanted another kiss.

"Sorry Granger but they _all_ have twenty eight days."

"Another." She demanded before her lips smashed against his.

The unexpected movement caused Draco to stagger backwards and she followed him, her hands tightly clutching the lapels of his dress robes. The kiss was wild and rough. Bodies slammed up against each other, tongues plunged and took without thought, mouths sucked carelessly.

Before Draco lost his mind completely, he tore away from her and held her tightly against his chest. Her head flew upwards, lips searching desperately for his.

"What cheese is made backwards?" he asked as he breathed in deep through his mouth.

"I don't care." She replied before she stood on her tiptoes and once again reached for his mouth.

"Edam…" Draco whispered vaguely against her lips before the two were kissing once more.

This kiss was short. Interrupted by the librarian's booming voice announcing the library was about to shut.

Draco flung away from Hermione at the same moment she flung away from him. From opposite sides of the aisle, they stared at each other as they wheezed heavily.

Draco watched Hermione's hand lift up and her fingers flutter against her swollen lips.

"Y-you were right…You won." She said, more to herself than him, before she quickly turned around and hurried away.

Draco let her go.

It didn't feel like he had won.

When had it stopped being a game? When had one kiss stopped being enough?

* * *

_Author's Note: It is 1:30 in the morning right now and I wrote this in the last hour so if it's rubbish, blame my tired brain. I have to credit Lisa Kleypas for the plot idea but the questions Draco asked Hermione and pretty much all the rest is mine. I know I said I would update the next chapter of the Rut series this week and I will but I wanted to break up those chapters for all the readers who aren't a fan of the series (Thank you to the reviewer who told me that in a kind PM and not as a flame!). Until next time, Curiositykils. _


	37. Rut to Divorce

**Rut to Divorce**

**Sequel to Rut Prolonged**

**1175 words**

**Rating: K  
**

* * *

Hermione couldn't believe it had come to this.

She hadn't seen Draco since the day of their last meeting six days ago. Now a week later, they had once again come together to sign their divorce certificates.

After today, she would officially be Hermione Granger again.

She stood outside the door to the room that would change her world and took in a deep breath.

For two days after their last counseling meeting, Draco had tried to contact her through Owls and by Floo.

She had ignored his attempts, not being ready yet to hear his explanations and reasons.

She was ready now.

She opened the doors with one strong push and the sound caused the men in the room to turn their heads over to her.

"Miss Granger." Her lawyer greeted.

Hermione gave him a tight smile before nodding her head to the other two occupants of the room.

Draco's lawyer murmured her name briefly and Draco said nothing.

He didn't even look at her.

She walked over to the table they were all seated at and took her own seat.

Draco's lawyer cleared his throat. "Well, now that we are all here we can get down to the signing. My client has already signed in the necessary places so Mrs. Malfoy- if you will?"

Hermione stared at the pen being handed to her. She took it woodenly and looked down at the pieces of paper that had been placed in front of her.

The pen hung limp in her hands.

"May I have a moment alone with Draco please?"

She directed the question to the lawyers and saw Draco's head fly up at her words.

Her lawyer agreed instantly. Draco's waited until he'd been given a nod of approval.

Both then moved out of the room.

The silence prickled uncomfortably up Hermione's back and she cleared her throat.

"I want to know why." She told him from across the table.

She knew when Draco registered her question because his sharp jaw tightened.

When he didn't immediately reply, Hermione forced her mouth to remain shut.

"Know what?" he finally said.

Hermione simply stared at him for two seconds.

Really? He was really going to do it like this?

"I want to know why you lied to me." She stressed each word.

Draco shifted in his chair and briefly glanced away from her before looking back.

Hermione gritted her teeth and forced her eyes to stare right back into his.

"...Sign the papers Hermione."

Hermione took in a deep breath. "I deserve to know Draco. Why? You said-"

"I know what I said." He cut in. "But things have changed." He whispered.

"…Have you met someone else?" Hermione asked as her mind brought up an image of his secretary.

"What? No! Mione- I would never do that to you. You know that."

Hermione scoffed and raised an eyebrow at his words. "Do I?"

There was silence for the next ten seconds.

"Sign the papers Hermione."

"Not until you tell me why. I told you when we first started dating. You're the one who told me that it didn't matter to you. That there were other ways we could have children."

"Things changed." He repeated softly.

"Then tell me what changed! I need to know Draco!"

"What does is matter now? We're getting divorced!"

"Because _you_ wanted to!"

Her loud words were met with silence again.

"We were married for three years Draco. Please- I have to know why."

When he still didn't respond, Hermione struggled to swallow the despair rising in her throat.

As her eyes glazed over with tears, she quickly looked back down at the papers in front of her.

She could barely make out the crosses where she needed to sign as she scribbled her signature angrily.

"Hermione…"

She didn't pause in her signing.

"Don't! If you're not going to answer my questions then I don't want to hear a word you have to say. You want to get out of this marriage then out you'll be."

A sob escaped and she began to sign quicker.

"We should never have got married…I should never have got married." She whispered.

"Hermione…"

"I said don't!"

His hand reached out and grabbed her signing hand.

"Don't!" she cried as she wrenched her hand away from under his.

Reaching out to remove the papers from under his outstretched arm, she brought them down to her lap.

Tears dripped onto the sheets as she scrawled her signature everywhere.

"I should never have got married." She said quietly to herself.

"It isn't your fault Hermione."

Hermione's mouth opened to let out a loud scoff but with the sobs contained in her throat, it came out as a gurgle.

She wiped at her eyes angrily and fixed them bitterly on her soon to be ex-husband.

"It isn't my fault?" she cried out sarcastically. "I'm the one who can't give you your _precious_ heir! I'm the reason why we're divorcing! I'm the reason-"

Her voice broke as a series of sobs compressed her chest.

With her eyes closed, she didn't see Draco stand from his chair and move around to her side until she felt his hands touch hers.

She tried to jerk them away but he held on tight. Crouching down so they were both level, one of his arms came to palm her cheek.

His fingers wiped her tears away as she twisted her head away from his touch.

"Don't t-touch me. Draco- d-don't."

He ignored her and simply murmured for her to hush.

That only caused her to cry harder.

When he moved forward to pull her against him, Hermione sank into his body without hesitation.

Her face burrowed against the warmth of his chest and she fisted his robes in both hands as she wept.

"I can't give you a baby!" she cried. "I can't give anyone a baby! It's all my fault!"

Draco's body was yanked from her hold as he moved backwards at her words.

Hermione's fists dropped heavily to her sides as she stared at him.

"It isn't your fault Hermione…It's mine."

Hermione's brow furrowed at his words. "What?" she murmured.

Draco stood and backed away from her.

Hermione's head tilted upwards so she could look at his face.

"It's isn't your fault that we can't have a baby…It's because of me. It's my fault. It's all my fault."

Hermione's throat closed up at his words. Her brain struggled to comprehend.

"What?" was all she managed to choke out.

"It's all my fault." Draco said softly. He looked like he was in a trance, saying the words to himself.

And then he came back to reality and with one last look at her, he quickly strode towards the door.

Hermione gasped in a breath. Her body turned in her chair to follow his body as he hurried away.

"Draco…"

He paused when he reached the doors. Turning back, Hermione saw his own face was wet with tears.

"Sign the papers Hermione. Please…sign the papers."

And then he opened the door and walked out.

* * *

_Author's Note: Congratulations to mEEEm who got a sneak preview at this chapter by being my lucky reviewer. There are now two more remaining chapters (already written with the next chapter being called Reasons behind the Rut) in the series but I don't know if I will be updating them one after the other or waiting to see if I can manage to write some other oneshots that I can use to split them up. That way I can keep everyone happy. But I do now know whether the series has a sad ending or a happy ending but I keeping schtum! Well I think that's all for now. Exams start on Monday so wish me luck! Thank you for reading and until next time, Curiositykils. _


	38. Reasons behind the Rut

**Reasons behind the Rut  
**

**Sequel to Rut to Divorce  
**

**579 words**

**Rating: K  
**

* * *

Hermione couldn't understand what Draco had just said.

She stared dumbly at the door for a moment before she quickly sprang from her chair, grabbed the divorce papers and ran towards it.

"Mrs Malfoy? Is everything alright?" her lawyer asked her.

She ignored him as her head turned frantically from side to the side.

Where had Draco gone?

"Draco. Where is he?" she asked his lawyer.

He looked at her uncomfortably. "I'm sorry Mrs Malfoy, but I cannot divulge my client's personal details."

Hermione looked at him helplessly. Draco had given her his address when he'd come to collect the rest of his belongings.

She hadn't looked at it.

She'd folded up the piece of parchment and placed it in a box above the fireplace.

After their last counseling meeting she'd been so angry, she'd apparated home, snatched that piece of parchment from its holding place and watched it burn in the fireplace.

She'd removed the last piece of Draco Malfoy from her life.

And now she needed to see him again.

"Tell me! Now!" she yelled at the portly man.

He backed away and spluttered at her tone, still revealing nothing.

Her lawyer stepped closer to her and touched her elbow. "Hermione? Is everything okay?" he asked gently.

She wanted to hit him. Didn't he understand that she needed to find Draco?

It didn't make sense. None of it made sense. Why was it Draco's fault she couldn't have a baby?

"Draco." She choked out. "I need to talk to Draco."

"Hermione. He signed the papers. Everything has been discussed already."

"No!" Hermione yelled as she ripped her arm out of his hold. "You don't understand. I need to talk to him. Please. Where is he?"

Her lawyer looked at her for a moment before he nodded his head. Walking away from her to a small table in the corner of the room, he opened his briefcase and withdrew a folder.

Bringing it over to her, Hermione looked down at it blankly.

Through clouded eyes, she made out Draco's name. Underneath was his address. In the next moment, she had apparated away.

She landed on his doorstep, uncaring of the fact that this might be a Muggle neighborhood and banged loudly on his front door.

Thankfully, Draco opened the door in the next few seconds and then the two of them were staring at each other in the doorway.

Hermione's mouth opened but no words came out.

Draco didn't look surprised to see her. He looked resigned.

"I'm so sorry Hermione. I should never have said anything."

"What did you mean?" she finally choked out. "H-How is it your fault? It isn't your fault." She rambled. "You were in the Astronomy Tower with Dumbledore and Harry. I was attacked by a Death Eater in the seventh floor corridor."

Draco looked down and saw the papers in her hands. "You have to sign the papers Hermione."

"No!" she shouted out. "Not until you tell me the truth. Why did you lie to me?" she begged.

Draco shook his head. "Sign the papers. Please. You have to sign the papers."

Hermione shook her head wildly. "Tell me why it's your fault!"

"Sign the papers!"

"Tell me what changed!"

"Hermione-"

"Tell me why you lied!"

"Because!"

His short shout was met with silence and then…

"Because what Draco?"

Draco looked up and Hermione registered the tears in his eyes and the trembling of his bottom lip.

"Because it was my father."

* * *

_Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. Your kind words and luck worked a treat today. Due to exams, I don't think I will get time to split up these Rut chapters with others, so apologies to those who aren't fans of the mini series. Thank you for reading and until next time, Curiositykils.  
_


	39. Rut Overcome

**Rut Overcome  
**

**Sequel to Reasons behind the Rut  
**

**586 words**

**Rating: K  
**

* * *

Hermione lay awake in her bed and studied the ceiling.

Was it supposed to be like this?

They'd been married for three years. Separated for six months. But she knew they could survive this.

She breathed in and exhaled deeply before turning her body to face her husband.

"Draco? Are you awake?" she whispered quietly.

"Yes." He answered back softly.

Hermione didn't say anything for a few seconds.

"Are you happy?" she finally asked him, peering widely into the darkness so she could make out his expression.

He replied instantly. "Yes. Are you?"

"Yes."

Their admission settled between them. Hermione felt Draco shift to his side. The two stared at each other.

"I love you." He said.

"I love you too." Hermione replied.

Draco lifted his arm. "Come here."

Hermione instantly scooted forward, breathing in his warm scent. Draco's arm fell back around her waist. He rubbed up and down soothingly before stopping.

Hermione held on tightly to the T-shirt he wore to bed. Her mind was buzzing.

Just a few hours ago she had thought she would be facing a lifetime alone in this bed.

But now…

She knew they had things to work through. Her father in law being number one. Draco's guilt for his father's actions being the second.

Hermione couldn't believe it. All this time and Lucius had been lying to her...lying to his own son.

Draco had told her everything.

How it was his father who had been the one to curse her.

How he had kept it all a secret until he'd finally broken down and told Draco over eighteen months ago.

How Draco had been buried in guilt and felt that Hermione deserved better than him. Better than his family.

It was strange. Now that Hermione knew the whole truth, the last few hours had been spent dissecting everything she could remember Lucius ever saying to her.

And things suddenly made sense.

Just after she and Draco had started dating openly, she had met Lucius in Diagon Alley. He had accused her of never being able to give Draco "proper" heirs.

At the time she had assumed that he had meant she wouldn't be able to give Draco pureblood heirs. Now she knew the real meaning behind his words - that any child they would adopt wouldn't carry any Malfoy blood at all.

There were a multitude of other things.

Lucius' expression when she and Draco had broken the news that they wouldn't be able to have children.

Again, she had assumed his silence had been shock - not that he'd already known.

And then there was the weekend two months ago.

Hermione had been involved with her own pain but she had still recognized Draco's frosty behavior to his father. But she'd brushed it off.

And now...she felt numb.

The fact that she knew Lucius' curse hadn't meant to damage her in the way it had, wasn't any comfort at this moment. She might have merely been hit in the wrong place but the damage had been done.

And he'd lied to her for three years...while Hermione had acknowledged him openly as her father in law.

She shook her head and closed her eyes. The next morning, they would face the world and everyone in it.

But for now…she simply wanted to relish being in her husband's arms again.

The two Malfoy's slipped into sleep, their bodies entwined.

They had gotten through this and they would get through anything else thrown at them.

They loved each other.

* * *

_Author's Note: The End! I can't believe the first 200 word Rut chapter turned into a seven-oneshot mini series. I hated the initial chapter but I've actually grown to love this story! Thank you to everyone who's followed the oneshots and reviewed. Without you guys "pushing" me I definitely wouldn't have made it this far! Until next time, Curiositykils. _


	40. A is for Apology

**A is for Apology  
**

**1966 words**

**Rating: T  
**

* * *

My Dearest Darling Granger,

Hello.

How are you?

See how you politely respond when someone makes an effort to communicate with you? Since you have evidently not yet been instructed in the proper decorum in responding to Floos (Healer Smith assures me that my hair will return back to its lustrous quality despite your efforts to leave only a single strand of hair on my head) and my presence (I do hope you return your wards to their previous state soon) I have been left with no choice but to resort to this archaic method of communication and write you a letter.

Wait! Halt your wand yielding arm and keep that Incendio tightly in your mouth. I have put a lot of thought and care into this letter and request politely that you read it in its entirety.

I said wait witch! Believe me; you'll want to read the whole thing if only to have something to taunt me with when you forgive me and get your sweet little self back in my vicinity.

Now that I've successfully piqued your curiosity, I can continue. It has become apparent that you are still slightly…miffed…at me over what happened and my apologies and gifts have yet to make any headway in getting you to forgive me.

Therefore, I was forced into contacting Potter's Red, who after yelling, chastising, cursing and minor hexing and slapping me (Potter has yet to show any evidence that he can control his wife; in fact the tosser simply laughed his socks off in the corner whilst his wife was assaulting me. Some Auror he is - I told you he didn't like me!) she advised me that I was not romantic enough.

_Not romantic enough? _

I felt the need to defend myself and pointed out that the chocolates I sent you in apology are only made by one chocolatier in Paris…and she has a six month waiting list! Not only that but the jewelry is from the best boutique in Diagon Alley (I did not appreciate the picture you sent me of them in use. I sincerely hope that you simply loaned them to Pinky and did not give them to her. I may agree with you clothing my house elf but I draw the line at exclusive and expensive jewels).

We seem to be getting off point here. The prior She-Weasel informed me that there are two types of romantics in the world and while my "type" of romantic may have worked fine with all the other women (Note: Red Potter saw fit to describe my previous dates with words that I will not repeat here in order to keep from tainting your innocent ears), you my dear, needed a different type of romanticism from me (Note: I am unsure if romanticism is a word but I'm sure you will know either way and will correct the word in the case it is incorrect).

So here you are Granger. This is my very first attempt at being a different "type "of romantic. The Mother of Potter's Heir saw no problem in informing me that I wasn't romantic but didn't see fit to give me any ideas on how to solve the problem. Instead, she flung one of those Muggle girly magazines that you've hooked her on, at my head.

Despite ballooning up to the size of one of those Muggle animals- elefunks- her throwing arm certainly hasn't been affected with the extra fat that's weighing it down. She left a tiny scar on my forehead (I kid you not) which would have been hidden behind my hair if _someone_ hadn't seen fit to scalp me.

But do you see _me_ holding a grudge against something so life threatening? No you do not.

Anyway- we seem to be going off point again. The magazine did come in handy when I was flicking through it while patiently sitting in the waiting room of St Mungo's. Apparently life threatening gashes on one's forehead are relegated as _minor_ incidents. I was waiting well before a beastly child came in with his distraught mother and they were seen before me! Outrageous.

At any rate, after discovering that I do in fact put my career before men, I came across an article (it was near the back, a few pages after this horrible page of letters that Muggle girls had written in about their useless boyfriends underperforming during sex- my advice, date a wizard who knows what he's doing in bed- see how lucky you are Granger?) there was an article that listed A-Z what every girl should look for in a potential partner.

And it all clicked! So without further ado Granger- here's an A-Z list of everything that I love- and very sorely miss- about you/ why you should come back to me. We really are perfect together you know. Remember how the Daily Prophet once named us the second most powerful couple in the Wizarding World after Potter and his pint sized firecracker.

So here we go.

A- Is for apology. (See how I'm getting right to the point?) I am so very sorry about what I did and promise with all my magic that it will never happen again. Please believe me.

B- Is for bossy but brilliant. (BOGOF- as your father taught me) The Manor is going to pot with no-one to issue orders to the house-elves. The library especially is getting awfully dusty. Who knows what damage might be befalling all those rare books.

C- Is for Crookshanks. I solemnly swear that I will forever treat him as an extended member of our family. Yes- that does mean I will no longer be kicking him out of our bedroom.

D- Is for dependent. Until you left me I had no idea just how much I've come to depend on you this last year. I miss you.

E- Is for enormous. Relax Granger and put that wand yielding arm back down! I'm talking about our bed. I realize I constantly complain about your need to hog the covers and sleep with your body squished right up to me but it appears that I can no longer sleep without you doing exactly that. I do need my beauty sleep if you are going to continue showing me off.

F- Is for faithful. In twenty-four years, you are the only witch I don't find it difficult to stay faithful to.

G- Is for genuine. I was going to say gorgeous but decided against it. Not that you aren't gorgeous and drop dead sexy before you get yourself in a snit. I merely thought that being called so is not the kind of thing you would appreciate. Genuine is an alternative G. Who else is going to continue to call me out on the Hippogriff dung that I do? Or when I get a big(ger) ego? I need you to keep me rooted firmly in reality.

H- Is for heart. Which I will take much better care of in the future. Promise. No more thoughtless cards or presents.

I- Is for intelligent. Of course.

J- Is for jealous- and believe me- you have no idea just how much I want to Avada any other wizard that comes on to you. If you really don't come back to me then I will definitely be in Azkaban before the years end.

K- Is for kinky. I definitely miss you in that regards.

L- Is for love and laughter. I've turned into a miserable sod without you. Blaise can attest to that fact. He's been inundated with complaints/pleas from all the staff I've fired over the last few days.

M- Is for Malfoy. Hermione Malfoy fits. You know it does. Don't think I haven't seen you doodling in that diary of yours when you think I'm not looking.

N- Is for nine. It's been nearly nine days that we've been apart. It feels like ninety years to me. Tomorrow will be ten days- and then it'll feel like a hundred years!

O- Is for your little mouth. I've gotten used to seeing that O whenever I do something to shock you…or something else. Have I told you recently how much I miss you?

P- Is for patient. I know I'm not the easiest wizard to live with and that I have a temper. The fact that I haven't managed to drive you away before this week is a miracle in itself. I know what people said when they first found out we were dating. I had no idea on how to reply because everything they were saying was true. But you still stayed. I love you.

Q- Is for queen. Queen of my heart (Yes- I am shamelessly stealing this from the magazine that caused my scar but it is how I feel). But I do know how against you are on stealing words that aren't yours and so here's another Q word for you. Quick- I bet you have that little crinkle between your eyebrows as you figure out what in Merlin's balls I'm on about. Well dear Granger- I'm talking about our verbal sparring. I quite like how you can think of an answer a split second after it's come out of mouth. (It's quite sexy to know that the Gryffindor princess has such a Slytherin tongue in her mouth.)

R- Is for roses. I miss the smell of your soap. Your shampoo. Your body lotion. Your skin. Every night before I can manage to drift off for a few hours of sleep I (and I will punish you if you show this letter to anyone) sniff your pillow. It still holds the smell from your hair.

S- Is for sociable. I don't know if it's escaped your notice Granger but other than Blaise, all of our friends happen to be your friends. I've become quite the hermit since you've gone.

T- Is for trifle. While no-one can make my favourite dessert like you, the house elves have been making one every other night. Who knew men had comfort food? Between the trifle and the firewhiskey, I'm becoming a podgy drunk. Do you really want to have a podgy drunk on your arm?

U- Is for unhappy. I miss you.

V- Is for Valentine's day. Wait! Don't Incendio the letter yet- we're nearly at the end and one of us had to mention the dreaded day eventually. I am very very sorry about how I acted, or more importantly, how I didn't act. You deserve much better than a thoughtless card signed Draco Malfoy and a missed dinner because of a business meeting. And Hermione- I promise you that it was just a business dinner- despite what Pansy was wearing and the pictures in the Prophet the next day.

W- Is for Will you come back to me and give me a second chance? I've booked us a table at Le Chateaubriand for Friday night at eight. Can I get a second chance at doing Valentine's day the right way this time?

X- Is for- well to be honest I have no idea but I'm sure your mind has already come up with a few fitting words. See how much I need you. There's a whole letter in the alphabet and I can't come up with _one_ decent word.

Y- Is for young and yummy (Note: please see letter R for instructions on showing this letter to anyone else).

Z- Is for zest. I'm talking about zest for life. Before you came into my life I was a completely bored with everything. Without you I am nothing.

Well. That's the full alphabet. I miss you and I love you. Please come back home.

Yours

Draco.

(P.S. Remember- Le Chateaubriand at eight on Friday night. I'll be waiting.)

* * *

_Author's Note: Thank you for reading. The idea that I had for the next oneshot wasn't quite working out in my head and I think it's because it fits another pairing better and so you might get to read my first ever Hermione/Scabior pairing. Scabior was the snatcher in Deathly Hallows in case you don't remember. But don't worry- I may have momentarily become distracted by Hermione/Scabior fics, I do still have lots of Hermione/Draco ideas left and so until next time, Curiositykils. _

_(P.S. Help!- I'm sorry for uploading the chapter twice (two alerts etc). Since the oneshot is in letter form, I did have certain lines that Draco "scribbled out" and I put a substrike through those areas in Word to show this but when I uploaded the chapter on the site, I didn't realise it had gotten rid of all those strikes. Therefore if you had been reading it, it wouldn't have made much sense so I had to reword some areas. Does anyone know of a way in which I can strike through words with the site accepting it?)  
_


	41. Hour Old Scars

**Hour Old Scars**

**1748 words**

**Rating: T**

* * *

Hermione concentrated on keeping the pain she felt with every step hidden from Professor McGonagall.

The two were walking, limping slowly in Hermione's case, to the Transfiguration classroom that had been turned into a makeshift hospital wing in the hours after the final battle.

Whilst the most serious cases had been flooed directly to St Mungo's, the serious but less critical cases had been directed to the hospital wing. The dozens of others who had been injured were being given accommodation where suitable. In Hermione's case, it was her old Transfiguration classroom.

She winced as she put too much weight on her bandaged leg and quickly bit her lip to contain her gasp of pain.

"Will you be okay Miss Granger?" her favourite Professor asked worriedly.

Hermione nodded her head once sharply. "I'll be fine Professor."

"I'm sorry that you've been designated this area. I tried to get you a bed in the Gryffindor common room or at least in the Great Hall with Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley but they had already been selected."

"Don't worry Professor."

"You'll be quite safe. Poppy assures me that he is most likely unable to get out of bed and with no wand, he won't be able to perform any magic. Just for extra caution, I've requested that the Auror's place a binding charm so he can only move a few feet away from his bed."

Hermione said nothing, instead choosing to concentrate on keeping her pain in check. She hadn't wanted to worry anyone and with Madam Pomfrey's stores of potions running dangerously low, especially the Murtlap essence, she had made out as if she wasn't in too much pain.

She was now regretting the decision.

"I'll transfigure and arrange for you to have curtains around your bed. That way you will have some privacy at least."

Hermione nodded her head again. Despite the fact that they both knew there would be no need for the curtains, Hermione would still feel more comfortable having them there regardless.

"Oh good, we're here." Professor McGonagall muttered before she hurried forward a few steps to open the door.

At the noise, the room's sole other occupant lifted his head from the bed he was lying on.

After glancing at him once, Hermione ignored him and concentrated on not tumbling onto the inviting surface she would be spending the next few hours on.

Professor McGonagall betrayed her composed feelings by fluttering around Hermione's bed like a mother hen. She made sure Hermione's pillows were fluffed before she set about arranging for curtains to be hung around her bed.

"Who's there?" the boy asked.

Hermione glanced at him but didn't answer. It was Professor McGonagall who replied to him with a curt response.

"It's Professor McGonagall." She said in her Scottish accent.

The boy wasn't appeased with her short answer. Hermione could see that by the clench of his jaw and by the way he squinted his eyes as if that would make him see.

"Who else?" he demanded as he sat up straighter.

Professor McGonagall glanced at her and Hermione sighed. "It's Granger, Malfoy."

He briefly paused in his actions and his jaw clenched further. "Why are _you_ in here?"

Hermione scoffed but it was Minerva who answered. "You didn't honestly believe that you would be the only student spending the night in this room did you Mr. Malfoy?"

"But I'm- she could do whatever to me and I wouldn't even be able to defend myself!" he yelled.

"And just what do you think I would do to you Malfoy?"

He ignored her question and carried on speaking. "Where's the Auror who was guarding me?"

"Probably rounding up the rest of your family and carting them off to Azkaban." The words were out of Hermione's mouth before she could stop them and if she were honest with herself- she didn't entirely care on how they sounded.

"Fuck you Granger." Malfoy spat out.

Professor McGonagall gasped audibly. "Mr. Malfoy. I will not accept that sort of language in my classroom do you understand me?" she admonished.

Malfoy didn't reply. Instead he turned his head away.

Hermione watched as her Professor hesitated at exiting the room and leaving her alone with him. She placed a hand on the older witch's wrinkled hand and gave a reassuring smile. "I will be fine."

Professor McGonagall nodded once. "I will be back in a few hours to check on you." She said before she walked out of the room.

The noise of the door closing behind her resonated around the room before it descended into silence.

Hermione stared at Malfoy quietly, her eyes roving over his body and the injuries he'd sustained before they finally landed on his eyes.

"Looked to your fill?" he asked bitterly.

Hermione was so surprised at being caught that she simply gazed frozen at him for a few seconds. Even though she knew he had just been guessing, her right hand came out and swung around wildly. As she had expected, Malfoy didn't make any indication that he had registered the movement.

"I wasn't looking at you Malfoy." She lied as she brought her arm back down.

"So why did they stick you in the room with the Death Eater then? So you wouldn't scare everyone else?"

The poison his words held poured over new wounds and tears instantly filled Hermione's eyes.

"I don't know what you're talking about Malfoy."

He gave a harsh bark of laughter before crossing his arms over his chest in a smug motion and turning his head to where he imagined her to be.

"I saw you in the Great Hall before…before." He stated confidently. A cruel smile twisted his lips.

Hermione took in a sharp breath.

"I suppose it's a good thing I can't see you. I don't think I could stand seeing much more than your usual ugliness."

The tears fell silently and Hermione's hand came up unconsciously to trace the hour old scars on her face. In the next moment, a flash of anger washed through her and the only thing she could think about was making Malfoy hurt in the same way she was.

"I'm not the only one with scars Malfoy. And yours are clearly visible right now too." She spat out in reply.

That caused Malfoy to stiffen before he hurriedly pulled up his duvet cover to hide his torso.

A sneer formed at his lips and Hermione readied herself for whatever he would spew out.

"My scars are easily hidden…unlike yours."

And wasn't that the truth, Hermione thought. But Malfoy wasn't finished.

"So how does it feel to get even uglier Mudblood?" He scoffed before continuing. "I suppose Weasel-bee will no doubt spout out some crap on how it's how you're beautiful on the inside that matters."

Hermione snapped. "I may be ugly on the outside Malfoy but you're ugly inside and out. How does it feel to be blind?"

She was stopped from continuing when a loud wailing broke across the room. Adrenaline buzzed through her body and she had to force herself to settle down and breathe when she realized that it was just the reminder for Malfoy to take whatever potions he was taking.

Hermione watched silently as his left arm came out and swatted the air as he tried to find the small bottle resting on the makeshift table next to him.

She watched his useless searching with gritted teeth and did nothing to help. A small part of her…the scarred part…was happy simply watching him swat the air and grow more frustrated by the second.

After a few additional seconds, he let out an angry growl accompanied by an angry swat of his hand. Unfortunately for him, his harsh movement nudged the table and Hermione watched the small blue bottle topple over, fall onto the floor and roll slightly so it disappeared under his bed.

Her gaze moved back to Malfoy. He was sitting ram-rod stiff in his bed with an expression that betrayed his anger and embarrassment. She waited, expecting him to get out of bed and scuffle around the floor blindly in an effort to find the bottle.

But he didn't.

…He couldn't get out of bed, she realized.

This time the satisfaction was short lived and mixed with worry.

What was the potion? Would his life be at risk if he didn't take it?

Over the years, she may have thought many times on how the wizarding world would be better off without him but now that the choice lay in her hands, she wasn't quite ready to potentially kill him. Not that anyone would blame or even question her if she told them that she had merely fallen asleep and Malfoy hadn't asked her for help.

Which was half true at least.

After a few more seconds spent watching him for any potential actions, Hermione sighed and started moving in order to get out of the bed. She bit her lip to stop a gasp of pain as her foot stretched and the healing gash re-opened.

On hobbling legs, she moved over to Malfoy's bed before bending low and reaching for the bottle. It warmed at her touch and Hermione took the last few steps to reach his side.

From the expression on his face, Hermione could see that he was listening to her actions intently. Reaching out, she grabbed his wrist and before he could yank his hand out of her grasp as he was readying his muscles for, she thrust the bottle into his palm.

She let go and took a step backwards.

She spoke softly. "Someone may tell me that. But at least I won't have someone pretending that I'm not a burden to them. Who's going to look after you when your parents are sentenced to Azkaban and your money is seized? When you can't pay someone to do the duties that any loving family or friend would carry out in a heartbeat?"

Hermione looked over his features for a second more before she turned and started moving back to her bed. When she was settled back in, she picked up her wand.

"I pick my scars over yours any day Malfoy." She said before the curtains around her bed swished close and contact between them was severed.

A few hours later when the daylight streamed in through the windows, the curtain was pulled back and Hermione automatically looked over at Malfoy's bed.

It was empty. He was gone.

* * *

_Author's Note: Don't worry! I'm not expecting you to review this chapter. I know it won't be the majority of people's cup of tea and you're probably fed up with the angsty chapters but thank you for reading and until next time, Curiositykils_


	42. Piracy on the High Seas

**Piracy on the High Seas  
**

**6063 words**

**Rating: T  
**

* * *

**_Part I_**

**_The Southern Ocean_**

**_HMS Ariadne_**

**_1813_**

Hermione Granger sighed morosely as she looked out of the small window of her cabin aboard the HMS Ariadne. It was nearing eleven thirty and though most of the ship's crew were probably already snoring away well below deck, sleep for her was proving to be elusive.

It had been two weeks since they'd set sail from Australia to travel back to England. The outward journey had been long and tiring, taking a full three months. The homeward journey was likely to take as long, bringing the total period that Hermione had been away from England to seven months. The journey seemed all the longer by the fact that she was returning home without any information on the whereabouts of her parents.

She had wished to stay in Australia and search for them for longer but she knew a delay in leaving port would result in an increased risk in the ship encountering fiercer storms on the return journey. She had no wish to be the reason behind endangering the ship's crew, all of whom she had become surprisingly attached to over the last few months. She still shuddered whenever she remembered the storms the HMS Ariadne had encountered on the way to Australia. The Roaring Forties…or was it the Furious Fifties…or the Shrieking Sixties? Hermione couldn't quite keep straight the jumble of storms and their respective latitudes, storms that the crew spoke about in hushed whispers, but she remembered the bellowing of the waves and the tumult of the ship well enough.

She was hoping that her homeward journey would be storm free but she had been told repeatedly that she would be better of wishing for the moon. Thank Merlin she had been possessed with what Captain Lupin called, a cast iron stomach and didn't go green at the gills on sea, unlike his wife. Also unlike Mrs. Bagshot who Harry had arranged to accompany her on the trip as a chaperone so her reputation wouldn't be ruined. Hermione's lips curved into a smile at the thought. Mrs. Bagshot had barely left her cabin since they'd set off from Australia. She was proving to be the kind of chaperone Hermione liked. One who left her to her own devices.

If the _ton_ knew she spent her days helping Stan mend the rips in the sails or listening to Tom as he proudly explained every aspect of his job as the ship's chief gunner, she wasn't sure how they would behave but she knew that despite her relation to Harry, they would shun her behind closed doors.

Hermione's heart lifted as her thoughts flickered back to Mrs. Lupin. When they had left Plymouth months earlier, her friend had been four months pregnant and had just started her period in confinement. Hermione knew that Captain Lupin was eager to get back and see his new child which is why she hadn't voiced her opinions about delaying their leave from Australia, out loud.

Truthfully, Hermione too, was missing England and her family. She had waited somewhat impatiently for three years after the war had been won to make this journey. It had taken that long for Harry to gain an ounce of information on the location of her parents. Unfortunately for her, the information had proven to be false. Local inquiries had come up with nothing else which was why Hermione was now sailing back home with a heavy heart.

As she breathed out another sigh and leant her head against the wall, she lightly fingered the book she had been reading. Harry had given her the full collection of "Mrs. Valentine's" sensation novels as a departing joke or as he had put it "something to keep her occupied after she had quickly wormed her way through every other book aboard the ship." True to his prediction, Hermione had been left with nothing else to do but read the sensation novels in a bid to overcome her boredom.

Looking down at the front cover, her fingers traced the branches of the ominous looking trees that looked even gloomier in the flickering candlelight that she had been using to read with. A few days ago, she had just begun reading the first novel (a lesson in perseverance) when young Dennis Creevy had recognized the distinguishable front cover of the book and exclaimed loudly in excitement. His cries had spread around the rest of the crew until Hermione had been inundated with requests to read the stories out loud. To her horror and disbelief, it seemed Mrs. Valentine's novels were popular with apparently everyone but her.

And so had begun the nightly tradition of Hermione reading a few chapters of the novel to the largely illiterate crew after supper had been partaken. Hermione could never suppress her smile when the crew would settle around her skirts like little children. Their excitement must have rubbed off on her as once she got over the flowery prose, tonight she had actually found herself wanting to read further from where she had stopped.

This may have also partially been down to the topic of conversation that had been struck after the evening's reading had been disrupted by the dwindling twilight. Priscilla Primrock, the main character in the book, had just sighted what looked to be a ghost in the woods behind her newest home, and talk had quickly turned to the "ghost ship" that sailed these waters.

_The Basilisk. _

It wasn't the first time Hermione had heard of the pirate ship. She'd heard Harry speaking of it every year he returned from the Ministry. For hours he would complain about the lack of success the Ministry had had in catching the ship. One of Harry's close friends had battled with The Basilisk just last year off the coast of the colonies and if the rumors were to be believed, he was one of few who had set eyes on the ship and survived.

It was said that anyone who glanced upon the ship died before they could glance again. Quite impossible in Hermione's mind but the carnage the Basilisk reaped spoke for itself.

And then there was the captain of the ship. "Captain Addonexus" or "Captain 'Nex" as the papers had dubbed him since no-one was sure of his true name. Hermione scoffed quietly. _Captain Addonexus indeed_. He sounded like he belonged in one of Mrs. Valentine's novels.

The crew had continued chattering about the ship and her master until Captain Lupin had quelled their mouths with one sharp look. As the crew filtered off below deck, Hermione had closed her book and watched them go contemplatively.

"Ignore their words, Miss Granger." He'd told her. "There's nothing to worry about. I'll get you home safe and sound." He vowed.

Hermione had smiled at him before she'd followed the crew, staying a few steps behind them but close enough to hear their continued whispers about Captain Nex's many misdemeanors.

"I 'eard that he likes to play with his victims 'fore he kills 'em."

"I heard he gets through a roomful of virgins a night-"

Hermione scoffed. And just where exactly did he keep all these virgins until he decided to ravish them?

"-every time he makes anchor. He says it's to make up for his time at sea."

Oh.

"I've seen him." stated Kevin.

The older members of crew merely glanced at the young member of their family in mockery before dismissing him.

"It's true!" Kevin said doggedly as he skipped to keep up with their footsteps. "It was when I was on the watchtower of my last ship. It was close to midnight and there was mist as far as the eye could see. Then suddenly, it appeared- The Basilisk- straight out of the mouths of the sea. 'Fore I could shout an alert, it disappeared."

Kevin shuddered and the motion seemed to ripple around the crew before it landed on Hermione. She'd been forced to rub down the goosepimples that had risen at his words. The silence that had descended on the group was broken by a loud creaking of the ship's mast.

Hermione wasn't the only one to look over her shoulder, half expecting to see The Basilisk or her captain stood right behind her. Of course there had been nothing other than abruptly cold gusts of wind. Hermione had shaken her head to remove all vestiges of Kevin's story and had quickly bid the crew goodnight before hurrying to her cabin. She had only caught glimpses of the crew's horrified faces as they'd realised what they'd spoken about in front of a lady.

In the privacy of her cabin, Hermione had lit a few candles and quickly changed out of her encumbering dress. Pulling her nightclothes over her body, another shiver of foreboding had trembled through her and she'd pulled a thick woolen shawl over her shoulders as she settled by the window with her book.

She had read in peace for a few more chapters before her gaze had inexplicably been pulled to the mist that had begun to shroud the sea in a white haze. Moonlight shimmered on the spray, making the breaking of the waves that lifted and swallowed the ship at and regular intervals, almost invisible. The movement and the hazy picture lulled Hermione into a light drowsiness and she breathed in contently.

And then picture changed. Through half closed lids, she watched the mist seemingly part and the shadow of a ship slowly crept forward. First it was simply a speck in the distance and then it began to form shape. Hermione gasped and then pressed her face as close to the window as she could, thinking that she must have been mistaken about what she'd just seen. But it wasn't a mistake…

In a numb daze, she watched the ship wade forward towards the HMS Ariadne. She couldn't speak…couldn't scream. As the black ship came closer, she saw its ebony sails and the flag flapping in the strong winds. It held a depiction of a skull entwined with a snake.

And then Hermione screamed. Her mouth parted widely and she leapt off her chair and yanked open her door.

"Captain Lupin!" she yelled loudly as she hurried towards his quarters. "Captain Lupin! Pirates!" she shouted.

Her unadorned feet barely felt the coldness of the wood under her as she flew towards his quarters. She didn't stop her shouting along the way. She must have yelled more loudly than she thought, that or Captain Lupin had yet to retire for the night, because Hermione had not yet reached his rooms when she saw him running towards her.

"Captain Lupin! Pirates! Basilisk!" she choked in between her panting breaths as she skidded to a halt.

The captain put his hands on her shoulders in a tight grip. "Miss Granger. Listen to me. I want you to go back to your room and barricade yourself in until I come and get you!"

There was a loud boom and the ship seemed to shake as the first cannon fire hit its side.

"Captain! Enemy aboard!" came a faint yell from above them.

Hermione tilted her gaze upwards to the ceiling before quickly looking this way and that, half expecting to see pirates running towards her in the empty corridor. When Captain Lupin gave her shoulders another shake, Hermione's gaze shifted back to him.

"Hermione! Do you understand me?" he asked her urgently.

She nodded her head mutely, still trying to gasp in breathes to settle her rapidly beating heart.

With one last tightening of his grip, Captain Lupin pushed her back into the direction she had come running from. "Go!"

And Hermione went. She spun on her heel and began the seemingly long journey back to her room. Her feet slipped over the floor and she fumbled quite a few times. Thankfully she didn't take a tumble and the door to her cabin was in her sight before a terrifying thought struck her.

Mrs. Bagshot!

Without thinking of the consequences, Hermione halted in her course and quickly twirled to her right. She ran straight into the tight arms of a man she had never seen before. She took in a sharp intake of breath, on the edge of letting out an ear-splitting scream when a rag of cloth was thrust into her open mouth. It caused her to splutter at the awful taste and she had only managed to catch frantic glimpses of long wet hair and a skull and snake image tattooed onto a neck before her world went black.

A burlap sack was pulled over head and she was hauled off her feet and thrown over a very broad shoulder. And then she did something she would forever be ashamed of. She fainted dead away.

ooo

_**Part II**_

_**The Southern Ocean**_

_**The Basilisk**_

_**1813**_

When Hermione next opened her eyes, her world was still black. After assuring herself that she wasn't in fact blind, but the burlap sack was still placed over her head, she let out a breath of relief. Steadily, she continued to take in what she hoped were silent breaths in order to clear her foggy head. What had happened? Where was she? Her clothes were cold and wet; the hem of her dress tangled between and around her legs. Thankfully the rag had at least been removed from her mouth.

"Why have you brought a _woman_ aboard my ship?" demanded a cold voice.

Hermione had to force herself not to clench her body at the words…or shiver. Aboard _another_ ship? Oh Merlin- she was aboard the Basilisk! At the deduction, she stayed as limp as she could possibly be, her ears straining to hear every word spoken.

"My apologies Cap'n. I only thought that you would enjoy-"

"You thought wrong!" roared a voice.

Hermione flinched and hoped that the motion had gone unnoticed. Merlin, she prayed silently in her head. Please let her get out of this alive.

"Did you even check to see just who she was?" The words were spoken slowly and cruelly. As if to highlight how stupid the man's actions had been.

There was an audible gulp. "Nay Cap'n." replied the man in a quiet voice. "We didn't get a chance 'fore-"

"I want no excuses! We already have an entire fleet of ships from the Ministry on our tails. If the chit is important, you've condemned us all to the gallows!"

"Forgive me Cap'n. I-I didn't think."

"Evidently." The Captain replied caustically.

Hermione held her breath as her adrenaline fuelled mind buzzed through ideas on how she was going to get back aboard the Ariadne. Both her hands and feet were bound together tightly and as she wriggled her limbs inconspicuously, she nearly betrayed her consciousness by letting out a cry of despair.

For a moment there was quiet in the room before the cold voice she had begun to associate with the Captain spoke again.

"Leave us."

"Aye Cap'n."

There were heavy footsteps and then a door clanged shut…Leaving her alone with Captain Addonexus, Hermione realised. This time she could do nothing to stop herself from openly squirming in her chair.

"What is your name?"

Hermione gave up all pretense of still being unconscious and lifted her head in the direction of where the voice had come from. Her legs shifted with more strength, as did her arms, but they still remained as tightly bound as ever. Her scrambling motion was halted when the binds around her hands were tugged at, causing her arms to lift up in an outstretched gesture.

"I asked you what your name was."

Hermione shivered as she swallowed the lump building in her throat. "P-Penelope Clearwater." She finally choked out.

"Clearwater?" the voice mused. "Of the Hampshire based Clearwaters?"

Hermione didn't hear the uplifting inflection in the Captain's voice that indicated he'd been questioning her and not making a mere statement. When her hands were harshly tugged forward again, she answered quickly.

"Y-Yes."

The pull lessened minutely at her affirmative response.

"And what is a Clearwater doing aboard the HMS Ariadne? Keeping the Captain's bed warm?"

Hermione's head snapped up at his words and despite her anger, she felt the heat rise in her cheeks. No doubt they were flushing pink right now. She thanked Merlin that her face was currently covered.

"How _dare_ you even suggest-"

"Pardon me for being so rude." He cut her off.

Under the circumstances, Hermione was willing to accept his apology without complaint.

"I've been so long at sea that I forget I'm talking to a well-mannered, genteel lady. Pray tell Miss Clearwater, what where you doing aboard the HMS Ariadne? Keeping the Captain _company_?"

Hermione gritted her teeth at the implication behind his words. Before she had undergone this journey, she had no idea on the carnal natures that occurred between a man and a woman. However, a stop at a port in order to replenish food supplies had given her all the knowledge she'd needed. After months at sea, the crew had stumbled straight to the taverns (or so she had thought them to be) as soon as the ship had been safely tied to the harbour. Despite a warning by Captain Lupin that she stay aboard the ship, Hermione's curious mind had continued its wonderings on the goings on of this strange town they had made anchor at.

Within minutes of her traipsing, she had stumbled upon a man and a woman…having relations. She had been struck still at the look of rapture on the…lady's face and for a long moment, she had simply stayed hidden in the shadows and watched the couple's movements. When their cries of ecstasy had begun to get louder and reach dizzying heights, Hermione had caught herself. In embarrassment, she had quickly looked away and rushed back to the ship, not stopping until she was safely ensconced back in her cabin.

She had chided herself for her actions but that didn't stop her mind from musing over what she had just seen. The memory caused a mixture of excitement and guilt to pool in her stomach, causing it to churl uncomfortably until she had fallen into a restless sleep.

At present, she shifted uncomfortably as the Captain's words reminded her of her voyeurism. As much as she wanted to reprimand this atrocious man for assuming she was a woman of limited means and that she sold her body for favours, she could think of nothing other to say.

_"I heard he gets through a roomful of virgins a night…"_

Hermione remembered the words that had been spoken by Timothy. Oh Merlin- if he thought that she was a woman of the night then would he expect _her_ to…

"I am not a-" she spluttered quickly before collecting herself.

She was saved from coming up with an excuse when she felt the air around her shift. In a quick swish, the sack was removed from around her head. Hermione blinked rapidly in quick succession to clear her eyes before she looked up. Captain Nex's head was hidden by the shadows in the room and all she could make out in the moonlight was a slash of his white shirt and the pale skin that lay underneath.

She however, had been strategically placed in the one spot where light shone directly into the room and as she looked down at herself, she gasped as she realised her wet night dress wasn't just clinging to her legs, but to her entire body.

"I demand that you let me go!" she said out loud as she twisted around in a bid to remove the dress from outlining her form.

Captain Nex merely ignored her as he shifted and walked until he was stood behind her. Hermione stiffened. Her nostrils flared as she took in a breath and it was with a jolt that recognized she could differentiate the Captain's scent from any other smell in the room.

He smelled of soap, salt from the sea and a musky smell she couldn't quite place. Hermione's image of unwashed, dirty pirates flew out of the window.

"I'll let you go when I see fit, _Miss Clearwater_."

Hermione's thumping heart skipped a beat at the way he drawled out her fake name. Merlin, he knew…He knew that she was lying…But how? Yes she had accompanied Harry to the many parties of the London Season but how in Merlin's name did this man…this pirate…know who she was? Panic began to climb up her throat.

"Correct me if I am wrong but it seems that the Clearwaters are not an exceptionally wealthy family. I have you aboard my ship and with no hope of obtaining a wealthy ransom for you… I think I'll keep you for a little private pleasure."

Hermione gasped before letting out a warbled exclaim. When her head stopped racing, she finally managed to speak, "I already told you that I am not a woman of the night!"

Captain Nex bent down and Hermione breathed in sharply as she felt his exhaling breaths against her cheek. He moved his head closer until the stubble of his cheek scraped lightly against her smooth skin. His lips were so close to her ear that Hermione felt them touching the outer rim as he spoke to her in a hushed whisper.

"I'm sure you'll enjoy learning the necessary skills from me. I'm sure to enjoy teaching them to you."

Hermione gasped in disgust and embarrassment at his inappropriate words. No-one had ever dared to speak to her like this! Before she could stop herself, the truth spilled from her lips in one hysterical rush.

"My cousin is Harry Potter and I assure you that when he finds out that you've taken me hostage he will stop at nothing to hunt you down. There is nowhere you will be able to hide and you _will_ feel the full force of his wrath."

"And I certainly wouldn't want that now would I?" he asked in a sarcastic tone.

Hermione simply shifted her head to the left in a bid to get away from his mouth. "You may have evaded the Ministry's fleet for the past three years but you cannot escape them forever."

"Ah so you've heard of me. I'm honoured."

Hermione couldn't see his face but she heard the smile in his tone. It simply made her all the angrier. "If you knew just what I'd heard then you most certainly wouldn't be honoured. Any honourable gentleman would be ashamed of the things you've done!"

Hermione heard and felt Captain Nex straighten and she took in a full breath of air.

"And what exactly have you heard?"

Hermione hesitated before deciding to simply tell him the truth. "They say that anyone who sets eyes on your ship meets a swift death at your hands," she whispered before continuing. "They say that you enjoy playing with your victims before you deliver the final blow."

A thought struck Hermione that robbed all her breath. Oh Merlin, was this his way of playing with her? Would he kill her at any moment? Would he simply shoot a bullet into her heart or wrap his fingers around her neck and slowly strangle the life out of her?

"Continue."

Hermione flinched. "They say that you ruin a roomful of virgins each night…" she babbled nervously before immediately regretting it.

"Only a roomful?" He shifted and Hermione saw his body move until it was stood back in front of her again. His arms were crossed at his chest and she simply stared at his hands.

Abruptly, he kicked her chair and Hermione was pushed out of the moonlight and into the darkness. She would have tumbled over had it not been for the back of the chair catching slightly on the edge of a table and straightening her back upright. Adrenaline bubbled in her throat and her eyes that had automatically shut at his actions, reopened widely. His shirt was no longer visible in the moonlight. Where was he? Hermione swallowed fearfully as her breathing increased.

"And what of you, Miss Granger?" His voice came from Hermione's right and she shuddered as she heard confirmation that he knew exactly who she was, "Are you a virgin? Has a man brought you to the brinks of pleasure before?"

Hermione ignored him as best she could and after giving an amused chuckle, he continued. "No answer? I assure you that I will be able to easily ascertain the information in a way that will be pleasurable for the both of us."

Hermione nearly cried out in despair but caught her lip at the last moment. She refused to let this savage know how much he frightened her.

"Well Miss Granger? Would you like to be the first of twelve this evening?"

His words were accompanied by a light skim of his fingers up her arm. Hermione shivered in coldness and his fingers slithered under her hair that had slipped loose from the braid it had been tied in. He stroked her nape in a soothing motion but instead of calming her, it merely caused her to clamp up tighter. In response, his fingers left their position to stroke her cheek gently.

"Your skin is as soft as a newborn babe." He muttered quietly.

Hermione lips parted silently and once again, she tilted her head away from his touch. She heard his fingers fall back to his side.

A loud banging on the door startled her and she immediately turned her head to the noise.

"Ship on our tails Captain! It's the Ariadne."

The words were met with a brief moment of silence. A burst of hope erupted in Hermione's chest.

"Well Miss Granger. It seems I'll have to settle for another innocent tonight."

And with that, the sack was pulled back over her head. With her gaze once again shrouded by blackness, Hermione could only listen to Captain Nex's movements around the cabin. When she heard the click of a pocketknife being unleashed from its cover, she held her breath and prepared herself for the final blow.

Surprisingly, it didn't come. The binds around her legs were tugged forward slightly and she listened tautly as the cloth or ropes were sawed through until she once again, had full freedom of movement. The same occurred to her hands. She was jerked to her feet when the Captain's hands wrapped around her wrist before she was blindly pulled forward. Her legs that had long since fallen asleep in their restricted movement, buckled at the first step. Hermione fell forward…right into Captain's hard chest.

His hands came out to steady her, despite her own hands reaching out in order to push him away from her.

"Steady." He murmured quietly and Hermione was disturbed at the concern she heard in his tone.

For a few moments Hermione remained still in his arms, head tilted downwards as she unclenched and clenched her bare feet in order to stimulate the circulation flow. The pins and needles had just subsided when the deafening roar of canon fire erupted around them.

Hermione's head flew upwards at the noise. Behind the burlap sack, her eyes peered into the darkness widely as if straining her eyes would magically allow her to make out Captain Nex's response.

"It appears that the Captain is most eager to regain his lost property." He commented wryly.

Hermione didn't reply; puzzled by the amusement she heard in his tone. "Y-Yes," she finally said.

She was pushed forward into his chest again when the ship lurched to the side. His arms fell around her waist and Hermione froze again. Her hands came to rest on his shoulders, her fingers clutching his body tightly in order to keep herself upright.

When the ship lurched back the other way, Hermione fell backwards. She was sure she would have slammed into the table had Captain Nex not jerked at her wrist strongly. He turned on his heel and Hermione was forced to stumble after him, making sure that she removed the sack over her head along the way.

The ship was dark and Hermione wasn't sure how many twists and corners they passed before she was finally dragged up a set of stairs to the upper deck. The freezing wind whirled around her body and instantly caused her to shiver. Her wet dress seemed to attract the icy gusts, causing the coldness to seep deep into her skin until even her bones ached.

At the picture in front of her, Hermione simply looked around in a daze. Cannon fire was still erupting around them, shoots and flashes of light bursting through the darkness. She might not be able to see the splintering of the ship's hull but she could hear the cracks from where the cannon balls hit it. Hermione's eyes were blinded by the harsh light but their momentary flare lit up the Ariadne's position and Hermione's heart pounded in desperation. She wished with every ounce of her body that she was back aboard the ship that had been her home for the last four months and two weeks.

Captain Addonexus pulled her forward and Hermione was forced to run lightly in order to keep up with his extensive strides. It was raining, she realised dumbly as the fat, heavy drops passed over her face and blurred her vision. The hand wrapped around her wrist seemed abnormally warm and Hermione's free, numb hand came to rest upon it in a vain effort to warm itself.

The Captain glanced back at her but Hermione was too busy concentrating on absorbing his warmth to notice. When she was pulled sharply in another direction, she looked up. He was taking her away from the Ariadne! She resisted futilely until she looked ahead and realised where he was taking her.

She was pushed roughly into the sheltered alcove and wiped her face with her wet hand. Her fingers tangled in her hair as she brushed it back into some sort of appropriate style. She gave up when she realised that the task was pointless.

"Stay here. Don't move." Captain Nex ordered before he was walking away from her.

Hermione simply stared at his back as he bellowed order after order to his crew…Crew that she recognized, Hermione realised with a startle. Her head flew from face to face, her mind conjuring up clearer portraits from the wanted signs that hung all over Wizarding London. Portraits of known Death Eaters.

Hermione trembled until she was forced to lean heavily against the wall of wood behind her. Oh Merlin- she was going to die. Immediately her mind sprang into action. She needed something…something to defend herself with…anything. She looked around frantically and scrambled around the barrels surrounding her but there was nothing! Out of the corner of her eye she saw a glint of moonlight reflecting off a shiny object.

A knife. Hermione sobbed silently in relief. She ran towards it like her life depended on it. Her life _did_ depend on it. Her hand lunged for the carved handle and she pulled with all her strength to dislodge it from the wood.

"I told you not to move!" roared a voice.

Hermione spun around in fright and saw Captain Addonexus' large body making his way over to her. With her heart fit to burst from her chest, she quickly spun around and blindly fumbled to remove the knife.

"Arggh!" she cried as she pulled till her muscles ached. Painful welts seared into the palms of her hands as she wrenched frantically and pleaded simultaneously.

Merlin answered her prayers as the knife slid through from the wood in one smooth motion. With a cry of triumph, she twisted the handle in her hand until the knife's dangerous tip was pointing outwards and she spun around, bringing the knife down as she went.

Captain Addonexus stopped her arm easily enough. Fingers dug painfully into the skin around her slim wrist and Hermione knew she would see bruises on her skin tomorrow morning.

…If she was still alive then.

"You little devil." He said quietly and Hermione gasped at the slur.

His fingers tightened until Hermione's bones were on fire from being ground together. The knife slipped from her fingers and she didn't even hear it hit the deck. With wide, unblinking eyes, she gazed into the Captain's face and realised just who the man behind the persona was.

Her eyes flickered over his features and took in the shoulder length pale blond hair and the glittering eyes that promised retribution. Hermione gasped in a breath, her mouth opening and closing silently, words choking in her throat before they could be spoken.

"Cap'n! I-Is that- Oh Merlin, there's a woman aboard The Basilisk! We're doomed!" a voice roared.

Hermione looked over the shoulder of the man she knew to be Draco Malfoy and saw several crew members had stopped in their actions and were now staring at her and their Captain with open mouths.

At the next second, several men spat on the deck by their feet before twirling around three times, the action rippling through the remainder of the crew.

"Bugger it all." Captain Addonexus- Draco Malfoy- said harshly before he bent at the waist and lifted Hermione off her feet in one strong motion.

Hermione yelped loudly in surprise, her arms coming to wind tightly around the Captain's neck of their own accord in a bid to keep from falling. Not that there was any chance of that; his arms were like clamps around her body, holding her high and tight to his chest. Hermione clenched her arms around his neck tighter and took in a shallow breath when her fingers entangled in his hair. At his quiet hiss of pain, Hermione quickly fumbled to remove the silky locks from around her fingers.

He glanced down at her, giving her one cold look before he started walking towards the rail of the ship. When he reached it, he didn't let her back on her feet again as she had expected.

Instead, his head closed the distance between their faces in one fell swoop and Hermione stiffened rigidly as his lips caught hers. Her mouth immediately opened up in an outraged gasp and his tongue thrust into her mouth, swirling around her immobilized one before stroking the roof of her mouth. The action caused tingles to spread over her. Her hands formed fists that beat on his back but he ignored her protests. Instead he pressed his head further downwards in order to follow her retreating one.

Merlin- her first kiss! And it was with a pirate! She could taste him! His lips tasted of sea salt and firewhiskey which Harry had once forced down her throat when she'd become ill after getting caught in a storm.

It was only a few more frozen seconds before he ripped his head back from hers. Hermione looked up into his face, a dozen vile names on the tip of her tongue, ready to be spewed out. They evaporated as she caught sight of his tightly clenched jaw and his eerily deadened eyes.

His head bent back down towards hers again and Hermione instantly flung her head away, catching sight of the cruel smile that formed on his lips at the action. His head continued its descent until his mouth was once again, in close vicinity to her ear.

"I have a message for your cousin Miss Granger. You be sure to tell him that I look forward to his _justice_." He spat the word out before he looked back down at her in curiosity. "I would have looked forward to keeping you for longer Miss Granger."

Hermione turned her head back to him, a puzzled frown forming over her brow.

She didn't get a chance to mull over his words before he was speaking again.

"As you can probably see, my crew is extremely superstitious about having a woman aboard their ship."

Hermione's eyes flickered back over to the gaping faces staring openly at her in a mixture of fear and disgust.

"Until we meet again Miss Granger." She heard him say before she was thrust higher in the air and shoved over the rail. She screamed right until she was swallowed up by the mouth of the roaring sea.

* * *

_Author's Note: Thank you for reading and a big thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter (I was pleasantly suprised by your kind words). I hope you enjoyed reading this oneshot and until next time, Curiositykils._


	43. Pick You Up

**Pick You Up  
**

**2053 Words**

**Rating: T**

* * *

Hermione Granger took a large sip of her white wine and swallowed it slowly; relishing the quenching of thirst in her dry throat.

The banquet room was edging over to the wrong side of warm and as she looked over at the many guests, some of whom were still dancing and others who were lazily fanning themselves as they caught their breath in their seats, she knew she wasn't the only one wondering if they would get into trouble by popping off to the loo and placing a cooling charm on themselves.

As one of Muggle guests passed too closely next to her, Hermione recoiled in a bid to get away from the man's body heat. Her hand reached out and she took another gulp of the cold liquid and felt it slide down her throat.

Merlin- this was her third glass. Maybe she should switch to fruit juice or even water before her happy alcohol induced haze turned into outright drunkenness. She was sure that Harry wouldn't appreciate having to haul her off back home in the middle of his wedding reception.

The orchestra that had been playing a wild jaunty tune finished with a loud climax and Hermione absently joined in with the smattering of applause. As a fifteen minute break was announced, panting sweaty couples made their way off the dance floor and to Hermione's dismay, towards the bar.

Out of the corner of her eye she spotted a lone seat at the end of the bar, situated away from the hoard of guests that were coming her way. Picking up her glass and clutch bag, she quickly moved over to it. She had to dodge around many guests and she was sure she stepped on a few toes none too lightly but when she emerged from the crowd, the chair was still free and she settled on it happily.

Registering that her glass was nearly empty (Merlin- hadn't it just been half full?) she quickly gestured over to the bartender to get her another one before they became too busy. She drained the glass she was holding and pushed it closer towards the bartender, expecting him to take it back but he had already turned to collect the new drink orders that were flying at him with the speeds of a Snitch.

Oh well.

The new wine glass was cold and Hermione eagerly latched onto the cool surface as she lazily gazed around the room. She smiled in happiness when she saw Harry and his new bride- his Muggle-born bride hence all the Muggle guests- Lucy, nuzzling each other and whispering with hot looks on their faces.

Her eyes then fell on Ron and Lavender and her smile drooped off slightly. Whilst she had long gotten over her teenage infatuation with her best friend, he was still her first love and the fact that he was happily engaged to Lavender of all people, still bothered her slightly.

Her gaze was caught by a buxom blonde at the bar and she turned to stare at the women in blatant observation. Merlin- evidently no-one had told her that they were at a wedding reception and not planning on painting the town red until the early hours of the morning.

Hermione smiled at her own wit before catching herself. Merlin- now was definitely the time to switch to water.

"Do you know the Petrificus Totalus spell? Because you make me stiff."

Hermione choked on the sip of wine she was taking and quickly dabbed at her mouth with a tissue. Through watering eyes she watched Draco Malfoy sidle up to the blonde. Her chest heaved slightly in amusement as she saw the blonde look at Malfoy as if he had just escaped from the nearest mental asylum before she took her drinks and walked away from him with her nose in the air.

Hermione laughed openly and Malfoy looked over to her, his puzzled expression turning to embarrassment before it morphed into chagrin.

"Granger." He acknowledged her with a tilt of his head.

Hermione smiled. "Did you honestly just try to chat up one of Lucy's _Muggle_ cousins using an appalling _Wizarding_ pick up-line?"

Malfoy snorted slightly as he made his way closer to her. "How was I supposed to know she was a Muggle? There should be signs indicating otherwise."

This time it was Hermione's turn to snort. "I think that would defeat the purpose of keeping Lucy's extended family in the dark about how half the guests here are carrying wands somewhere on their person."

Malfoy stepped back and blatantly looked at her from head to toe. Hermione rolled her eyes in response. "It's in my bag Malfoy." She said as she waved the white clutch in his face.

Malfoy merely took a sip of his whiskey. "I'll have you know that pick-up line has garnered many positive responses in the past."

Hermione glanced back at the blonde before looking back at Malfoy with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm sure it has." She said innocently.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Malfoy asked with a hint of anger in his tone.

Hermione looked up at him in surprise. She blamed the alcohol for her decision to answer him truthfully. "Simply that the witches who those lines work on, aren't exactly…"

"Exactly what Granger?"

"Oh you know what I mean Malfoy. Don't pretend that you don't. You can't honestly tell me that any…respectable women would be anything other than disgusted if someone told her that they wanted to get their basilisk into her chamber of secrets." She scoffed.

Draco raised an eyebrow contemplatively. "I've never thought of that one. That's a good one Granger! I tend to use something similar."

He waited as if expecting Hermione to ask and when she didn't he continued. "How do I get into your Department of Mysteries?"

Hermione couldn't stop the bubble of laughter erupting from her throat. "Oh Merlin Malfoy. That's awful!"

Malfoy smiled in response. "It's not too bad, I've heard worse."

"What!"

He turned towards her. "You should have heard some of the lines flying around Hogwarts."

"Like what?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Like how Hagrid wasn't the only _giant_ on campus."

Hermione let out a cry of mirth.

Malfoy continued. "You know Platform 9 and 3/4? Well I know something else with the same exact measurements." He accompanied his words with a waggle of his eyebrows and Hermione shook her head.

She saw Malfoy glance around and when he saw an empty seat, he lifted it closer to hers before sitting down.

"So what are you doing here?"

Hermione lifted an eyebrow at the stupidity of his question. He sighed in response and took a sip of his firewhiskey. "I meant- why are you sitting at the bar and not at your table?"

Hermione sighed. "I'm sat at Table Two." She said quietly.

She watched Malfoy look around with a puzzled brow as he tried to see which table that was.

"The one with Ron and Lavender." Hermione stated for him.

Malfoy's head moved back to her as understanding dawned. "Ah yes. Well- even I would have resorted to drinking at the bar if I had to spend time with Weasley and Brown."

Hermione forced a smile at his words, a depressing mood suddenly compressing down on her. Merlin- it was Harry's wedding day! She didn't want to look miserable.

"So tell me some more of your pick up lines." She told Malfoy.

He looked at her for a brief moment and must have seen something in her eyes because in the next second he'd plastered a smile on his face.

"You know, when I said, "Accio hottie," I didn't expect it to work!"

"Oh Merlin- that definitely doesn't work!"

Malfoy chuckled. "It's not my best one but it does work."

"What else?" Hermione asked eagerly as she felt her mood turning positive again.

"I'm not an Animagus but sometimes I can be a real animal."

Hermione laughed again. "Are they all so…crude?"

"No Granger. A good Wizard knows the type of witch he's talking to and changes accordingly."

"The _type_ of witch he's talking too?"

"If I was talking to a _respectable_ witch I would use some of the more charming ones."

"Like?"

"And give all my secrets away?"

"Oh please- who exactly am I going to tell? And anyway- I'm sure witches don't fall all over you purely because of these pick-up lines."

Malfoy gave her a strange look before chuckling whilst Hermione's cheeks flushed a light shade of pink.

"Oh really Granger?" he asked.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "I'm not blind Malfoy. You are quite attractive."

"The Gryffindor Princess giving me a compliment. Just how much have you had to drink?"

Hermione's cheek's reddened further. "Tell me." She said in an effort to get the conversation back onto ground she was comfortable with.

Malfoy acquiesced. "Okay…how about… We may not be in Professor Flitwick's class, but you still are charming."

Hermione's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Well… it's still corny but it is…charming I suppose."

"See…" Malfoy said in an I-told-you-so manner.

"Tell me another."

"Girls call me "Aguamenti." Every time they hear my name, they get wet."

Hermione found herself laughing so hard that several heads turned their way but she couldn't bring herself to stop.

"Please tell me you have never said that to a respectable witch. How have you not been hexed into next month! If someone had said that to me…"

"Ah but you see- you're a different type of witch."

That caused Hermione to stop laughing abruptly. She gaped at the wizard sitting in front of her. "I'm respectable!" she declared indignantly.

"I know that Granger. I mean that you're respectable and romantic."

"…Oh. So what lines would you use for someone like me?" she asked. Her voice had gone husky and she quickly took another sip of wine to wet her mouth.

Malfoy gave her the same look he had given her not long ago and he leaned forward.

"If I was to look into the Mirror of Erised, I would see the two of us together."

Hermione didn't respond and Malfoy took that as a gesture to continue. "Will you be my horcrux tonight, so I can give a piece of my soul to you?"

He moved closer. Or maybe Hermione was moving closer to him? She didn't know but her mouth had gone all dry again.

"If I were still a Seeker and you were a Snitch, would you let me catch you?" he whispered.

His face was so close to hers that Hermione could make out every aspect including the fact that he was peering down at her intently. Her eyes flickered down to his lips unconsciously and she gasped in a quiet breath, ready to-

There was a loud clash of drums as the orchestra struck up their instruments. Hermione's eyes flicked back up to Draco's and she saw the same shock and realization reflected in the grey depths before they both flung their bodies backwards in their respective chairs.

For a few seconds there was an awkward silence whilst they both looked everywhere but at each other. Well that was the case with Hermione anyhow. She saw Mrs Weasley happily chatting to Mr Weasley, she saw Lucy playing with Teddy as he sat in her lap and she saw Ron who was gazing at her and Malfoy with a strange look on his face. Hermione quickly looked away and then once her breathing had steadied and she didn't feel a high intensity burning in her cheeks, she chanced a glance Malfoy's way.

He was looking at her and when Hermione caught his eye, he gave her a small smile which she hesitatingly replied to.

There were another few seconds of silence before Hermione cleared her throat.

"So…" she said in a bid to start conversation again and get past their little moment, "What's your favourite pick-up line?"

Malfoy seemed glad at the reprieve too. "Ah, you won't like it, I'm telling you now." He smiled.

Hermione smiled in response. "I still want to know." She told him.

He grinned devilishly before leaning his head a little closer so no-one else would hear him. "Why don't I make like Salazar and Slyther inside of you?"

"You want to WHAT!" Ron shouted.

* * *

_Author's Note: So it's just a light hearted chapter which I'd like to dedicate to For-the-Lolz because it was our conversation on Harry Potter pick up lines that gave me this idea. I can't take credit for all of the pick up lines but my dirty mind did come up with a couple! Thank you for reading and I hope it made you laugh or at least brought a smile to your face to fight the mid-week blues. Until next time, Curiositykils. _

_(P.S. After a few reviews from readers, I decided to downgrade the rating of the last chapter to T so if you didn't read it because it was M rated, feel free to check it out now!)_


	44. The Lonely

**The Lonely  
**

**1087 words**

**Rating: K  
**

* * *

**_2am, where do I begin  
Crying off my face again  
The silent sound of loneliness  
Wants to follow me to bed_**

_**I'm the ghost of a girl**_  
_**That I want to be most**_  
_**I'm the shell of a girl**_  
_**That I used to know well**_

ooo_**  
**_

Just like every other night since Hermione had received the invitation in the post, midnight had announced its presence hours ago and yet she found herself walking through her empty house.

Alone. Lonely.

Ever since the announcement had been made in the Prophet, she felt like an Inferius. Not evil, just simply not alive. A body that acted like a puppet; going through the daily motions without thought or care.

Her right hand held a crumpled tissue…tonight hadn't just brought loneliness, it had brought tears.

Her left hand held the cause. This time tomorrow she would have lost him for good.

It was all happening so quickly.

They'd broken up so many times before…and yet they'd always found themselves getting back together. Words of forgiveness whispered in the form of soft kisses and caresses.

Their last fight had been horrible. Worse than any before it. Angry words purposely aiming to cause maximal hurt…which they had. Household items being thrown to draw blood…which they had.

Hermione winced at the memory. He had always teased her on what a rubbish throwing arm she had. What a time she'd picked to make her debut in actually hitting her target.

But despite all of it: the words, the jabs, the tears, Hermione had expected them to get back together.

Their relationship had been branded "unhealthy" by so many. Those who called themselves her closest friends and family.

But they didn't understand.

Hermione needed him.

Just like he needed her.

At least he had.

But not anymore…Her left hand tightened into a fist unconsciously.

ooo

**_Dancing slowly in an empty room  
Can the lonely take the place of you  
I sing myself a quiet lullaby  
Let you go and let the lonely in  
To take my heart again_**

ooo

Just like every other night since Hermione had received the invitation in the post, she found herself halting in her useless wanderings around her house.

The doors to the empty room were closed and Hermione knew that when she opened them, she would be inundated with memories of the time they'd spent together in it.

Her house was her one extravagant possession. When she'd first brought the home and invited her friends over to view it, she had merely smiled at the look of shock on their faces at the vast space.

Despite everyone who had ever met her thinking that she would be the homely cottage type, Hermione had always longed for a large house.

For in her mind, a large house meant it could be filled with a large family.

Being an only child with very few cousins scattered around England, she had always longed for a busy, interfering family like those she had seen on television or in the movies.

Buying the house was the first step in achieving that.

He had been the second step. Expect now he was gone.

And she was left to fill her huge, empty, lonely house alone.

When she had told him what she'd hoped the empty room would become in the future, he had taken her in his arms and danced with her, his mouth close to her ear so that his softly sung words, a Wizarding lullaby that she'd never heard before, embedded into her heart and soul.

The words of the lullaby whispered over Hermione's mind as she opened the doors and stepped into the room.

The spot where they'd danced was lit up by a square of moonlight shining in through the window and Hermione was helpless but to walk over to it.

The moonlight bathed her.

Closing her eyes, she breathed in tightly and began to sing the words softly. Her body swaying from side to side, first slowly and then with more gusto as she twirled around.

If she thought hard enough, she could feel his arms around her. The warmth of his body seeping into her skin. His whispered breath brushing against her neck.

She didn't feel so lonely anymore.

ooo

**_Too afraid, to go inside  
For the pain of one more loveless night  
For the loneliness will stay with me  
And hold me till I fall asleep_**

ooo

All too soon the song ended.

Hermione swayed one last time before her mouth stopped singing and her eyes opened. Her hands had half risen in the air, as if he was actually there with her and she was holding him close to her.

But he wasn't…and her left hand still held the invitation.

Her hands fell limp by her side. Breathing in another gulping breath, she stared around the room blankly.

The empty space seemed to attract quiet solitude. A shiver raced up Hermione's spine and she walked back towards the door.

Stepping through them, she closed them gently behind her.

Her legs seemed to have a mind of their own as they delivered her back to her bedroom.

She sat down on the edge of her bed listlessly. The fingers on both hands opening and the tissue and invitation slipping to the floor.

Hermione lifted her legs onto the bed, slipped them under the duvet and fell backwards until her head met her pillow.

Sleep refused to come for an age.

ooo

**_Broken pieces of  
A barely breathing story  
Where there once was love  
Now there's only me  
And the lonely..._**

ooo

When the first creeping sunlight spilled into the bedroom, Hermione had been asleep for only an hour.

Her dreams filled with a forever lost world where they were together. A world where their children ran around their feet. A world where they grew old together.

She'd fallen asleep on her side, a position in which tiredness had finally overtaken her as she stared at the cream card that lay on the floor a few feet below her.

In the darkness she had only been able to make out the outline.

But now the silver lettering sparkled.

Lettering that announced the once upcoming but now here wedding of Draco Malfoy to Astoria Greengrass.

The pureblood marriage of the year.

A marriage in which Hermione had always believed that she would be the bride…

ooo

**_Dancing slowly in an empty room  
Can the lonely take the place of you  
I sing myself a quiet lullaby  
Let you go and let the lonely in  
To take my heart again..._**

* * *

_Author's Note: Sorry it's been so long since I've updated. I've been concentrating on Deceit but now that I've managed to update the story, I can get back to Meus Contraho for a little while. I know this oneshot was depressing and I wasn't planning on writing it but I had a horrible day today. I went for lunch with a friend who until five years, was married to my cousin. Today I told her that he was re-marrying and though it's been a long time since they've divorced, the look on her face was awful. Unfortunately for you guys, my mood translated into my writing. The song lyrics are by Christina Perri and I take no credit for writing them. Until next time, Curiositykils _

_(P.S. I've been asked by quite a few of you if I have a tumblr account? I have to confess I don't have a clue what that is so the answer to your question is no!)  
_


	45. Working Relations Take II

**Working Relations Take II**

**Sequel to Working Relations  
**

**2470 words**

**Rating: T  
**

* * *

The Wizarding Auctioneering House in London was stifling. The room wasn't even that packed but there were more people than chairs and Hermione was beginning to feel the need to place a cooling charm on her body. Looking around to the left side of the room she saw that no-one else seemed bothered by the heat. Was it only her? Was it because of _him_?

What in Merlin's name was he doing here?

She had sensed his entrance by the prickling sensation at the back of her neck that always seemed to flare up in his presence. A quick glance around the room, where she had unfortunately caught his eyes, had confirmed his presence.

The spawn.

Since she'd started her new job at MacRieve and Co three weeks ago, she could count the number of times she had seen the spawn on one hand.

Five times to be precise.

But the fact that she was knowingly working for a company that _he_ owned…again.

Hermione gritted her teeth as she clenched her jaw. If she didn't know better, she would think that Malfoy had just bought the company purely to irritate her.

The few times that he'd visited the office and Hermione had caught sight of him, she had tried her best to ignore him. It was difficult when he purposefully stared at her just to get a rise out of her. The second time he had stared for two hours! As if he had nothing better to do.

Draco bloody Malfoy.

Hermione liked her new job. Correction- she loved it. A chance to get stuck into some actual work in Business Law was something she had longed for desperately over the last three years.

And now it was here…but as always, the spawn was an ever present thorn in her side.

Hermione admonished herself for leaving the information on today's auction lying in plain view on her desk. It could hardly be happenstance that Malfoy's fifth visit to stare at her whilst she worked, simply coincided with his presence here tonight.

It was bad enough that she'd wasted three years of her life on him but now he was actually _stalking_ her.

What had happened to all the sluts he'd been parading around the place? Had she actually got through his annoying little head that day at the hospital? Was he actually going to try to act like a mature CEO?

Hermione scoffed. More like he'd already shagged every witch in the Wizarding World and he was too lazy to apparate abroad to begin again.

No…what was it he'd said when she'd told him that? That he hadn't had every witch in the Wizarding World. And then he'd given her that look.

The hairs on Hermione's nape rose again and her eyes betrayed her by flicking slightly to the right. He was standing to the side of the packed room, eyes on her instead of the auctioneer's rapid words, not even bothering to pretend interest in the goings on around him.

Why had he come!

Hermione's fingers itched to untuck her hair from behind her ear so it would cover her face. Only she'd chopped off her curly locks in a new haircut to mark the beginning of her new job. Her new life. A life that wasn't supposed to contain one Draco Malfoy.

Taking a deep breath, Hermione shifted in her wooden seat, resisting the urge to crumple up her auction programme into a makeshift fan in order to stir the warm air around her.

Instead, she focused on breathing in and out deeply and keeping a strong concentration on the auctioneer so she wouldn't miss the lot she wanted.

Three lots until they got to her beloved book. A first edition of Hogwarts, a History. Hermione could hardly keep her eyes off the book from where it stood at the front of the room beside the auctioneer's stand.

She knew Harry and Ron thought she was being ridiculous, spending such an inordinate amount of money on a "mere" book but the bookworm in Hermione couldn't let such an opportunity pass.

She had enough money saved up. Malfoy, while otherwise being a boss from the fiery depths of hell, hadn't been stingy in her salary. And with the little increase in wage she was now receiving at MacRieve and Co, coupled to the fact she had never been a spendthrift, she could comfortably afford to bid on the book.

Hopefully she would have enough to outbid any others that held interest in the book. The edition hadn't been kept in the best condition and that was the only reason why Hermione could potentially afford it.

Just a few more minutes…and then she could apparate away from the muggy heat…and from him.

Hermione was startled when the auctioneer snapped his gavel sharply. She immediately sat up straighter in her seat; all thoughts of Malfoy now completely wiped from her mind as she stared at the book.

"Lot two-four-three, a first edition Hogwarts, a History." The auctioneer announced. "Damage to the spine, cover and a few pages but a priceless treasure none-the less. Two hundred Galleons to start?"

Hermione sucked in a breath. The number was higher than she had anticipated but still well within reach.

A man a few seats in front of her lifted his white card.

The auctioneer nodded. "Two hundred with the gentleman. Do I hear Two hundred and fifty?"

A woman at the back must have lifted her hand as for the next few seconds, the two fought it out. Hermione waited on the edge of her seat for the right moment. She knew not to jump in early but the thought of leaving it too late…

The right moment came sooner than expected. At three hundred Galleons, Hermione nodded her head determinedly.

The auctioneer caught sight of her. "Three hundred with the young woman in grey."

The price rose as the male bidder in front lifted his hand with a bid of three hundred and twenty Galleons.

Hermione instantly outbid him. "Three hundred and fifty." She said clearly.

The auctioneer turned back to the man. He shook his head in the negative and Hermione's stomach lurched in excitement.

"Three hundred and fifty Galleons. Going once…Going Twice…"

Hermione willed him on. Oh please, she thought, finish it.

"And s-" the auctioneer stopped with a look of surprise spreading over his features. "You're just in the nick of time sir. Four hundred Galleons?"

Hermione didn't have to turn her head to see who had made the bid. She could tell who it was by direction in which the auctioneer's head had turned and the fact that he seemed to stand up straighter upon addressing the wizard.

This time when Hermione clenched her jaw, it wasn't from impatience, it was from anger. It was also the only thing stopping her from screaming at him in frustration. What in Merlin's beard did he want with a worn copy of Hogwarts, a History?

Hermione would bet her life savings that he hadn't even read the book!

Taking in a deep breath, Hermione resisted the urge to send a hateful glare Malfoy's way. She would handle this with confidence and aloofness. She _needed_ to handle this with aloofness and confidence.

Bloody spawn.

"Four hundred and fifty." She called out.

Excellent, Hermione told herself. Her voice hadn't wavered at all.

Malfoy's response was instant.

"Five hundred Galleons." He called out in his stupidly silky arrogant voice.

Hermione gulped. Five hundred Galleons was her limit. But she could stretch a little further. This time when she spoke, her voice wasn't nearly as confident. "Five ten."

"Six hundred." He replied in a bored voice.

Hermione snapped her head his way. He was staring right at her.

"Miss, do I have six hundred and ten?"

Hermione turned her head stiffly back to the auctioneer before speaking. "Yes."

"Seven hundred." Malfoy said the words almost apologetically but it only caused a wave of anger to wash over her.

"Seven hundred and ten." The words were out of Hermione's mouth before she could stop herself.

"Eight hundred." Now his voice held amusement and Hermione's head snapped back his way again.

At Malfoy's words the room seemed to come alive. People sat up straighter in their chairs and craned their heads around to look at him or her. Malfoy was the only one who seemed unruffled by the sudden attention.

The utter bastard.

As his icy eyes bore into hers, a pale eyebrow lifted in silent question. His top lip began to curl into what Hermione could only think of was victory.

Not on her watch...

"Eight hundred and ten."

The spawn sighed. "Eight hundred and fifty"

"Nine hundred." Hermione had no idea on why she hadn't just responded by announcing her account number at Gringotts. There was no way she could possibly afford to fork out nine hundred Galleons. The words coming out of her mouth were just numbers to her.

"Nine hundred and fifty."

"One thousand!" Hermione announced loudly.

There were cries and gasps from everybody in the room. One thousand Galleons wasn't even a figure anyone would spend on a pristine first edition of Hogwarts, a History.

One thousand Galleons! That was weeks and weeks worth of wages.

Hermione couldn't breathe. Her stomach tightened in panic and the air whooshed out of her lungs. Her mouth opened wordlessly; she desperately wanted to shove the figure back into her mouth.

Only she couldn't do that. Her only chance would be if…

Her head swung back to face Malfoy again.

His arms were no longer crossed at his chest but were deep in his trouser pockets. He still leant against the pillar and he was still staring at her. Only this time his face was blank. There was no arrogance, no amusement and certainly no indication that he was planning on making another bid.

And then his face changed. His eyes sparkled with triumph and Hermione knew…

He wasn't going to bid again. He'd done this to her on purpose.

The fricking…fracking…bloody spawn. As soon as she got back from Gringotts to withdraw a cauldronful of money she was going to quit. And then she would move to another country where she would never have to face Malfoy again.

Australia maybe? Her parents would be happy she was going home to them. And there was no way Malfoy's hold on her, his stalking, could extend across the world.

"One thousand Galleons…Going once…Going twice."

Oh Merlin, Hermione thought she was going to faint.

The auctioneer raised his hand, getting ready to bang his gavel and seal her fate. His hand lowered in slow motion and if Hermione was in a Muggle movie, she would be screaming out a prolonged "Nooooooo."

But she wasn't in a movie. This was real life. The auctioneer's hand was now descending at an alarmingly rapid pace and there would be no-one to save her from her own stupidity.

"One thousand and ten Galleons."

Hermione gulped in a wild breath of air. Numbly she turned her head back to stare at Malfoy. He was staring at her once again and Hermione couldn't seem to break his gaze.

She didn't hear the auctioneer calling out her name to see if she was going to make a counter bid, or when he called out the price Malfoy had spoken, or the gavel banging down, thus signaling the most incomprehensible fifteen minutes of Hermione's life.

She was in a daze until Malfoy simply turned away from her and walked out of the room like nothing had happened. She quickly scrambled up from her own chair and to the curious looks of the fellow bidders in the room, she flew after him.

She managed to catch up with him outside the auctioneer house. He was standing in the glorious sunshine with a brown package tucked carelessly under his arm.

The sight caused Hermione to fly towards him in all her ire. Her finger came out to form a point which jabbed him in the chest as she spoke.

"What in Merlin's bollocks was _that_ Malfoy!" she spat out angrily. "What were you even doing here?"

Malfoy opened his mouth to answer but Hermione pressed on, leaving him no chance to speak. "You don't give a damn about the book. The only reason you placed your bids was because you knew I wanted it. How childish can you possibly get?"

Malfoy looked at her as if _she_ were a child. A child experiencing a temper tantrum.

"If you wanted the book Granger then you should have bid on it." He said as he lazily took the book from under his arm and tossed it in the air before catching it by the spine.

Hermione kept her words of fury on how he was treating such a precious book tightly in her throat.

"What were you even doing here!" she asked again.

Malfoy raised an eyebrow and looked down at her uninterestedly. "And why shouldn't I be here Granger?"

Hermione spluttered. "You only came because you knew that I would be coming today and you wanted to annoy me. Well let me tell you something Draco Malfoy, I have had enough! You've spent the last three years causing me to live in misery but not anymore. I thought that a job at MacRieve and Co would mean I could finally get away from you but you couldn't even allow me that could you? Well I quit!" she stated dramatically before spinning on her heel and flouncing away from him.

Shoes are meant to be worn… The heel is there to make gravitationally challenged witches taller… It is _not_ there to stab the spawn in his non existing heart…

Oh Merlin she needed to apparate away or the heels on her shoes would find themselves embedded not in Malfoy's chest…but elsewhere where they could do much more damage.

ooo

Draco Malfoy watched Hermione walk away from him. This was the second time in just over a month that she'd said she wanted to get him out of her life.

Was he really that bad? He scoffed in the negative before he'd even finished asking the question mentally.

Of course he wasn't. He was Draco Malfoy. The witch simply didn't know what she was missing out on.

As he heard a pop of apparation, Draco frowned. He'd have to figure out some other way to make her see how much better her life would be with him in it. Lucius's plan of making her aware of just how rich he was and showering her with expensive gifts certainly hadn't done him any favours.

He looked down at the packaged book in his hands. Maybe he'd save it and give it to the stubborn witch on their first anniversary.

Whenever that would be…

* * *

_Author's Note: Last chapter I stupidly forgot to thank everyone who reviewed Pick You Up and made it one of the highest reviewed chapters in this collection! You guys are all amazing! Thank you so much! And to show you how much I appreciate you all- I wrote this! It only took five months and seventeen chapters for the idea to force it's way into my head! Wow, I can't believe I'm about to upload chapter forty-five! Five chapters to go! I hope you enjoyed reading this oneshot and until next time, Curiositykils!  
_


	46. Iron Knickers

**Iron Knickers  
**

**3434 words**

**Rating: T  
**

* * *

Hermione Granger was tired…and miserable…with another tired on top of that. The office had gone quite an hour ago and it felt like since the moment her colleagues had eagerly departed from the floor, Hermione hadn't managed to get a single smidgeon of work done.

The reports in front of her were due first thing tomorrow morning, a Saturday morning to be precise, and it seemed as if she was the only member of the office bothered by the fact that they weren't ready. As soon as the clock had struck five, her colleagues had scarpered, leaving her here alone to try and finish them off.

Glancing up at the clock in trepidation, she sighed as she read the time. Tonight's dinner drinks were mandatory for all staff, a welcome wagon of sorts for the Chief Financial Officer who had apparated in from America. Hermione was already an hour late and knew that if she didn't leave right this minute, she wouldn't be fashionably late, but _where-in-Merlin's-name-have-you-been_ late.

Her absence would be a black mark in her book regardless of the fact that she would be missing the drinks to finish up these reports so they could be presented first thing. Sighing again, she rubbed her hands over her face, only for the ring on her left hand to get tangled in the curls that had come loose from the tight braid she had twisted it into that morning.

Groaning quietly, Hermione stood from her desk. Whilst she hadn't joined in with the incessant chatter her colleagues had taken part in over what they planned on wearing tonight or what new make-up they had bought, she supposed even she could manage re-twisting her hair into a reasonable bun and swiping some gloss over her lips.

As she made her way over to the ladies loo, she pondered over a random fact that had popped into her head. It was said that witches ate 4-7 pounds of lipstick over their lives. Was the fact even true? How much lipstick had she eaten in her twenty-six years? Had her knowledge of this random fact affected her lipstick applying? Did she unconsciously put less on her lips than other witches did because she knew the fact?

Maybe she would look up to see if the little piece of information was true or not when she got a spare moment. Hermione filed away the little task in the to-do section of her mind.

As she reached the ladies, her walk automatically slowed to a hesitant amble as she heard voices coming from behind the closed doors. Hermione would be the first to accept that she wasn't the most sociable witch in the office and whilst her concentration on her work had allowed her to move up the ranks easily enough, she had never endeared herself or become close friends with any of her colleagues.

Even the thought of spending a few extra minutes in their company when she would already be making small talk with them for at least two hours tonight caused her mind to complain. Dare she venture in and face the perfume cloud/make-up flurry that she would undoubtedly face?

Her body answered by automatically taking a step backwards when a peal of giggles came through the doors. She quickly turned around in order to go to the other ladies room across the floor. Hopefully it would be empty and she would be able to get ready in peace.

"Merlin- do you even think she'll come?"

Another giggle. "Can you imagine it? I don't think the word party is even in her vocabulary. Actually scratch party. She doesn't even know the meaning of the word fun."

There were snorts of laughter followed by loud shrieks.

"If there's any one in the department who needs to learn how to let her hair down it's her."

Hermione stopped walking as she recognized the voices.

"There's no chance of that. She's got her hair tightly locked in place in that awful French twist."

"And her knickers!"

Hermione stiffened as her hand unconsciously drifted upwards to her semi clasped hair. They were talking about her. Humiliation flushed through her in waves.

"Can you imagine any wizard even trying to get into those iron pants?"

Hermione crumpled as if someone had physically cursed her in the stomach. Ouch.

She stood frozen for a few seconds, unable to move. What was she supposed to do? What was she supposed to say? Surely she should stroll in the loo with her head held high…but for some reason she found herself rooted to the spot, waiting to see what else would be said about her.

"I wonder how long it's been…"

Hermione scoffed at the question. She could easily have answered that question for them. It had been a long time. She had been so busy heeding her parent's advice on focusing on her career that there hadn't been a lot of time left for anything else. Most of the time she didn't care about how her life seemed unbalanced to others. She was happy with her life. But right this second- she would have given a thousand Galleons for her to have a life opposite to the one that was oh so kindly being detailed out in front of her.

"I think it's kind of sad. She doesn't even have any friends here."

Gasps were emitted from both Hermione and the women inside the loo. _She had friends! _She had Harry and Ron and Ginny and Luna! Just because she didn't have any friends at work didn't mean she was a sit at home loner!

There were shuffles from inside the toilet and Hermione immediately sprang backwards. She almost ran to the other bathroom and when she finally sealed herself inside she took in a deep breath. Well, I suppose that's what you get for eavesdropping, she thought to herself.

Looking in the mirror, Hermione took in her make up free face and unruly hair. She got started on the hair first, her hands lifting and automatically collecting the hair to twist it as she did every morning. She had made the first few winds before she halted. She brought her fingers back down by her side and instead clasped her wand.

Ginny had taught her the spell for taming her hair when they had both been getting ready for the Yule Ball and whilst she had always remembered the spell; she had never used it again. Well tonight she would. She was already an hour late- what would an extra twenty minutes do?

Taking even parts of hair, she passed her wand over them before letting go and watching the curls bounce with life rather than frizz. When her whole head was covered with loosely _defined_ curls, she got started on her make-up. Unfortunately she wasn't as handy with these spells. Deciding it would be better to stick to doing things the Muggle way; she swiped the usual gloss over her lips before rooting around her purse for the mascara she knew was lost in there somewhere.

Nearly half an hour later and she was done. Hands smoothed over the white blouse and black skirt she had worn for the last nine hours before she steeled herself and apparated to the hotel where tonight's party was being held.

ooo

Once at the hotel's event room, her anger that had been simmering quietly for the last half hour, seemed to simmer down to a small burn as she saw groups of friend's clumped together. Making her way to the bar she ordered an orange juice, ignored the look of surprise on the bartender's face at the chosen drink when the party was at the company's expense and looked around idly.

Her eyes latched onto the witches she had heard in the bathroom and she studied them for a minute. They looked beautiful, she acknowledged grudgingly. She didn't need to see their bright smiles to know they were having fun. Their flirtatious postures as they giggled with some of their male colleagues was evident to everyone.

Hermione took a sip of her drink and the juice tasted tart on her tongue.

Everyone seemed to be having fun. And here she was, still standing alone at the bar. Dull and boring. The women were right. She'd spent the last few years working so hard and for what? She'd always wanted a career when she was a teenager but she'd also wanted a family. Where had that dream gone? When had that dream been pushed aside?

Walking back towards where the bartender was standing, she exchanged her orange juice for a colourful cocktail. Once again, she looked around the room. Her eyes halted on the party that seemed to be occurring in the adjacent room on the opposite side of the corridor. A wizard was standing at the entrance to the room and talking with his back to her.

She eyed his form with detachment before she realised she was checking off his attributes to a list that seemed to have popped into her head. He was tall- check. He was smartly dressed- check. He had a good body as shown off by his fitted robes- check.

Another wizard walked up to the man and familiarly slapped him on the back in acknowledgement. The wizard turned and Hermione froze.

She knew that face.

Draco Malfoy.

Her spirits lifted slightly at the sight of a familiar face. Without further debating on what she was doing and whether Draco would be happy to see an old acquaintance he hadn't spoken to in five years, since the day they had both graduated from the Wizarding equivalent of a Muggle University, she walked over to him. On the way she passed the witches from the toilet and had to stop a smile of satisfaction curling at her lips when she saw them stop talking at her appearance.

"Draco Malfoy. It's been a long time. How are you?"

As Draco turned his head to face her and shock filled his features at her presence, Hermione desperately wished she still had a Time-turner so she could have stopped herself from strolling up to him. She was strongly debating to simply look like a fool and scuttle off back to the bar when the shock on Draco's face was replaced by a warm smile. She breathed out a breath of air she had been holding tight in her chest.

"Hermione Granger. What a surprise. I wasn't expecting to see you here."

At his smile, Hermione's own lifted as she thought of her colleagues watching her talking to such a handsome wizard. Resisting the urge to glance behind her and let the witches know she was aware of their stares, she instead shuffled a step forward and to the side so she was now facing their direction and Draco's back was to them.

"It's been a long time." Hermione replied to his statement.

Draco nodded his head. "I wasn't aware you were such close friends with Blaise."

Hermione shook her head. "Oh no, I'm here for work drinks." She said as she indicated towards the room she had just come from.

"Ah. I was sure that if you had kept in contact with Blaise he would have mentioned how you've all grown up."

His eyes flickered over her body and Hermione stood a little straighter at his blatant perusal whilst warmth flushed her cheeks. As he looked back into her eyes, Hermione flicked her own away for a moment in embarrassment. Her gaze landed on Sarah and Katie and she quickly looked back at Draco.

For a moment, the two simply stared at each other. As the silence began to border on uncomfortable (well for her at least) she struggled to come up with something to say. Her mouth suddenly seemed so dry and as she took a hasty sip of her drink, Draco watched her with an amused gaze.

It changed into something darker when she ran her tongue across her bottom lip to wipe away any rogue drops of liquid.

"So it's Blaise's birthday party then?" she ended up asking.

Draco broke his gaze from her lips and the atmosphere seemed to lift back into something lighter.

"Actually it's his engagement party."

"Oh?" Hermione asked.

"Yep, he finally got around to proposing to Padma. Took him long enough." He joked.

Hermione smiled. Whilst she had never been close to Padma…or her twin sister, she was happy to hear that she was getting married. Who would have thought it would be to Blaise of all wizards? The quiet bookworm pairing up with a libertine. She supposed opposites really did attract.

"He finally asked her on a recent trip to Paris." Draco elaborated.

Hermione found herself bobbing her head up and down at the information like an idiot. When she realised what she was doing, she quickly stiffened. At least the conversation was currently rolling again.

"How romantic," she sighed, "I've always wanted to visit Paris. I went to the South of France with my parents during the summer between our third and fourth year but we didn't get a chance to visit Paris before Mr Weasley tracked me down so we could go to the Quidditch World Cup."

"I've visited a few times for business. It's a romantic city."

Hermione's smile drooped off slightly at the implication behind his words. Unfortunately she didn't have a boyfriend who she could share and experience the city with. But she was a twentieth century witch. She didn't need a man to visit Paris.

Another internal sigh. It would be nice though…

"I take it you're not seeing anyone at the moment then?" Draco asked softly.

Mortified, Hermione lifted her face and plastered a smile across it. "What makes you say that?"

In answer, Draco smiled softly. "Paris is a romantic city but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy it without having a lover by your side."

"I know that." Hermione stated strongly even though internally she was rejecting the idea.

Draco didn't say anything for a moment. "You never know- you might find yourself visiting with a lover sooner than you think. You never know what's in the cauldron."

Hermione froze at his words. Merlin- was he flirting?

"-Ah here's Hermione."

Hermione quickly turned around at the call of her name. Mr Richards, her boss, was walking up to her with a large man by his side. The Chief Financial Officer, she guessed. She gave the men a smile to indicate she would be with them shortly and was grateful when they stopped a little away from her and Draco.

"I suppose I should go." She told him. She tried to keep her tone upbeat but she was surprisingly saddened at the thought that their little reunion was going to be cut short. She had actually enjoyed talking to him. It definitely trumped standing alone at the bar.

"We should catch up soon…maybe." She said as she offered him her hand.

Draco glanced at her out-stretched hand before looking back at her.

"I think two old friends can do better than a hand-shake, especially if they're going to be keeping in contact."

She immediately retracted her hand.

"A hug?" she ventured unsurely after a few seconds.

Draco's smile stretched in amusement at her suggestion and he stepped forward. "I was thinking something along the lines of a friendly kiss."

Hermione's mind went into a flurry. She couldn't…could she? Of course she couldn't! She hadn't seen the man in years…and she was at a work function for Merlin's sake!

"A friendly kiss?" she hedged at.

"A friendly kiss."

And then he kissed her. And it wasn't a peck on the cheek as she had been expecting. With her eyes still wide open, she looked into his glittering eyes until he closed them. She followed suit, allowing her to focus completely on the way his lips were brushing against hers.

She could feel her skin flushing with warmth but she couldn't move away. She didn't want to. Her lips opened slightly as she tried to gasp in a desperately needed breath and suddenly his mouth stopped brushing…and started clinging.

As if knowing she was on the brink of moving her head away, his mouth became even more insistent, even slower and demanding. Hermione felt something hot uncurl in her stomach before it spread out to tingle her body…everywhere. _Even beneath those iron locked pants! _

His tongue tarried with hers in a dance that was unknown to her but one in which it was evident he'd had much practice in. And right this moment, Hermione didn't even care on how he'd gained the experience in kissing so well. With one hand still annoyingly clutching her glass, she reached out and touched his chest with her left; fingers initially lying flat before rubbing in turn followed by clutching.

When her throat began to tremble with a supressed moan, Draco lifted his head from hers. She looked at him with openly dazed eyes.

"I think we're in danger of getting more than friendly." He said in answer to her silent question.

His words seemed to bring her back to the present and when she realised what they'd just been doing and more importantly who they'd just been doing it in front of, her eyes immediately flickered over to her boss. Thankfully he was deep in conversation with a manager in the company and it seemed as if he hadn't seen her. Her thoughts then instantly turned to the others who may have seen her unusual behaviour. She scanned the room.

Her gaze landed on the openly gaping faces of Sarah and Katie and try as she might to compress the action, a satisfied smile twisted her lips.

Take that! She thought cruelly. She knew how to party- how to have fun. And more importantly she had a wizard- a very handsome wizard- who definitely seemed more than passably interested in getting into her iron knickers!

A giggle rose up her throat, a giddiness contributed partially by her trivial revenge but mostly by the exciting new relationship that was potentially flowering before her eyes. With a wide smile on her face she looked up to Draco…and froze.

He was looking at her with a frown on his face and as her smile dropped, his eyes turned hard and cold.

"Have you made him sufficiently jealous then?"

"What?" Hermione asked, confused.

"Whichever wizard is standing right behind me. The one you looked at after you kissed me."

Hermione opened her mouth to explain but no words could come forward. What was she supposed to say? What would he think if she told him the truth? How childish would he think her to be?

As she faltered, her cheeks blushed red as all the blood in her body seemed to rush to her head. Before she could think of an explanation, Draco was speaking again in a quiet voice.

Unlike earlier, it held none of its warmth and informality. Instead he was polite and formal. Detached.

"I don't like being used Hermione. Not by you- not by anyone. From what I remember of you from Hogwarts and University, I wouldn't have pegged you as someone who plays games."

What? No! Hermione thought. "I-It wasn't, isn't, like that. I simply-"

"Ah Hermione. May I introduce you to Mr Burnley, the CFO for the company. Mr Burnley, this is Hermione Granger."

Hermione shook the man's hand, all the while feeling Draco's eyes searing into her skin. Once their brief handshake was over, Mr Burnley turned to Draco, waiting to be introduced. Her boss too, was waiting for Hermione to introduce Draco to them.

Hermione swallowed before she flicked her eyes back to Draco nervously. He was still staring at her coolly and her voice shook as she introduced him.

He acknowledged the men with a brief word as he shook hands with them. Hermione expected them to make meaningless small talk but all chatter seemed to die out after the introduction.

A few seconds later, Draco glanced at his watch before purposefully turning his body away from Hermione to face her bosses. "I'm afraid I'm here on another engagement and must leave. It was nice meeting you both." He said as he nodded his head towards them.

Hermione took in a deep breath and held it tight in her chest as he turned to face her. "Hermione, it was interesting to see you again."

And then she was subjected to a cool nod before he walked away, leaving her standing there not unaccompanied, but definitely alone.

* * *

_Author's Note: Apologies for the long wait. Things have been very busy in my life and work is simply draining me! This wasn't the update that's been formulating in my mind over the last few weeks. Unfortunately, that update is going to be a long one and therefore will take slightly longer to write which is why I've been putting off writing it. It's the first time where I've wished the idea would just go straight from my head to the computer without me having to type it out. Anyway, I'm sorry you got lumbered with this meh chapter when I've kept you waiting so long but I figured an update is better than nothing. And some of you have been getting a tad restless! I also admit that I had no clue what to name the chapter so if you have any suggestions please PM me! Until next time, Curiositykils. _


	47. Chronicles

**Chronicles  
**

**25,431 words**

**Rating: K  
**

* * *

**Chapter 1- A Frosty February**

_Dear Miss Granger,_

_We hope this letter finds you well. _

_I am positive that you, along with the rest of the Wizarding World, have been shocked by the riots that have recently swept over our country. I would like to personally assure you that our Auror's are some of the best trained in the World and will successfully deal with any anti-social behaviour in a quick and effective manner. _

_In the meantime, the Wizengamot has decided it would be in society's best interest to pass a new law involving the pairing up of every witch and wizard with a counterpart. In this way, we hope to bring together individuals from opposite sides of the social spectrum so potential differences can be discussed in a non-violent manner and relationships can be forged. _

_The law entails you and your partner to meet up for regular meetings after which you will be required to write a brief summary of your time together. Meetings must span over one year being an hour in length minimum. The initial introductory meeting is excluded from these guidelines. _

_The partner that has been allocated to you is Draco Malfoy. _

_We wish you and your partner a prosperous year. _

_Yours Sincerely_

_Griselda Marchbanks_

ooo

_Dear Mr Malfoy,_

_We hope this letter finds you well. _

_I am positive that you, along with the rest of the Wizarding World, have been shocked by the riots that have recently swept over our country. I would like to personally assure you that our Auror's are some of the best trained in the World and will successfully deal with any anti-social behaviour in a quick and effective manner. _

_In the meantime, the Wizengamot has decided it would be in society's best interest to pass a new law involving the pairing up of every witch and wizard with a counterpart. In this way, we hope to bring together individuals from opposite sides of the social spectrum so potential differences can be discussed in a non-violent manner and relationships can be forged. _

_The law entails you and your partner to meet up for regular meetings after which you will be required to write a brief summary of your time together. Meetings must span over one year being an hour in length minimum. The initial introductory meeting is excluded from these guidelines. _

_The partner that has been allocated to you is Hermione Granger. _

_We wish you and your partner a prosperous year. _

_Yours Sincerely_

_Griselda Marchbanks_

ooo

Quik-e-note to Hermione Granger

Granger. I assume you have already received your letter from the Ministry but since you have yet to make the first step in contacting me, I suppose it's left to me to arrange our "introductory meeting". Seven PM- Café Abbott in Diagon Alley on Friday. I have contacted the Ministry regarding the length of time for this first meeting and have been informed that ten minutes will be sufficient. Do not be late. Malfoy.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Draco Malfoy

Malfoy. I'm afraid this Friday at seven will be unsuitable for me. Could we possibly arrange to meet at seven thirty instead? Hermione.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Hermione Granger.

Granger. No. I have dinner plans. Malfoy.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Draco Malfoy

Malfoy. Unfortunately it then seems we will have to reschedule for another time which is suitable for the both of us. Hermione.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Hermione Granger

I have business arrangements that see me travelling to France for two weeks from the Saturday after our meeting. I return in the first week of March, thus a meeting after this time goes against the rules set by the Ministry. Seven Fifteen will have to be the compromise. Malfoy.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Draco Malfoy

Fine. I will see you on Friday. Hermione.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Hermione Granger

Very Well. Malfoy

ooo

Hermione stood outside Café Abbott and despite the shivers racing through her body due to the cold; she was still hesitant to step inside the warm inviting space. She hadn't been dreading the meeting with Malfoy per se; more like simmering with muted worry. She had no idea what she was going to say to him. The short curt notes they'd exchanged to arrange this meeting hadn't been the most positive indication that the two of them would do what the Ministry hoped and magically forge a strong friendship.

As another cold breeze swept around her body, Hermione was rocked forward onto her toes at the gust. Pushing up the sleeve of her black coat she glanced at the watch.

Seven Twelve.

So she still had three more minutes before she disobeyed Malfoy's not so subtle hint on not being late.

Mentally she debated whether she should go in three minutes early, thus meaning she could leave three minutes sooner, or whether she should spend the three minutes preparing herself further.

As if she hadn't been preparing herself enough in the last few days.

She had been…dismayed when the Ministry had paired her with Malfoy but the situation could have been worse. She could have been paired with his father. Poor Harry. But this was all for a good cause. Like everyone else in the British Wizarding World, she had watched the riots taking over their communities with wide, shocked eyes.

It felt like she had just begun to get over one war when another was unfolding right before her eyes. Hermione shook her head angrily at what she had seen. Purebloods trying to eliminate Mudbloods and Blood Traitors and now Muggle born Witches and Wizards fighting the Ministry in anger over the lenient sentences handed out.

The world had gone crazy.

Another glance at her watch told her that she had run out of time. Taking in a deep breath, she pushed open the café door and stepped inside.

The warmth hit her straight on, causing another shiver to run down her spine. The smell of coffee and bread and sugar tantalised her nose and reminded her that she had yet to eat dinner after snacking on her lunch at noon.

The café wasn't as busy as she had expected it to be on such a cold night and it only took a few seconds to locate Malfoy who was sitting at a table in the back corner by a large window. She walked over to him as if she was walking towards her doom.

As she neared closer to him he lifted his head, from his watch she noted, and caught sight of her. She supposed if she had been anyone else his Pureblood manners would have meant he would have stood when he saw her coming his way.

Of course, he didn't. He merely watched her arrival with a bored look on his face. When Hermione reached the chair opposite his, she placed her hands on the back of it and fiddled.

She smiled. He didn't smile back.

She dropped her smile. He continued being stoic.

Finally she gave up waiting for him to invite her to sit down. Scraping the chair back against the floor, which caused it to make a loud noise causing a flush of warmth to colour her cheeks, she sat down quickly.

"Hello." She said politely as she took off her gloves and scarf before unbuttoning her coat.

Malfoy nodded his head but otherwise kept quiet.

For a moment the two merely looked over each other. Malfoy was dressed in expensive looking robes and Hermione remembered his business dinner. Maybe he would forget the ten minutes and leave early?

She hoped fervently.

Her critical assessment of him took less time than his critical assessment of her. Hermione waited somewhat patiently for him to finish. She knew what he saw; she had come straight from an end of the week meeting. Her work as a curator meant she often dressed informally in comfy clothes. Her white shirt, black jumper that had seen better days but was too precious to throw away and her plain skirt.

Oh well. She didn't exactly want to give Malfoy the impression that she had dressed up for this short meeting.

After a few more seconds, he lifted his grey eyes and looked into hers. Hermione felt the pressing need to break the uncomfortable silence and so asked the usual question she asked anyone she hadn't seen in a long time.

"So. How have you been?" she asked in a light tone that rang false.

Malfoy nodded his head once. "Well. And you?"

Hermione was so surprised that he had actually asked her the question back that it took her a few seconds to answer him back with a choked "Good."

Malfoy lifted his eyebrows slightly at her answer and Hermione shifted in her chair uneasily. Her eyes looked away from his and flickered around the café nervously. Unfortunately, she was seated with her back to the room so she couldn't mask her uneasiness by pretending that she had seen something behind his shoulder. Eventually she was forced to look back at him.

As a few more seconds passed by with only deafening silence between them, Hermione childishly kept her mouth shut. She had asked him the first question on how he had been. Now it was his turn to ask her something.

She waited. And waited. And waited.

"So…what have you been up to?"

"Busy with work. And you?"

Hermione sighed. "Same." She replied.

More silence. Well, Hermione supposed she knew what she was going to write in the mandatory form she was going to fill out about their meeting. A long line of …..

"Are you ready to order?"

Hermione could have hugged the waitress!

"I'll have a peppermint tea. To take away please." She said to the waitress.

"And you sir?" the waitress asked as she turned towards Malfoy.

"I'll be leaving soon." He told her in a thoroughly dismissing tone.

Well that caused a heavy weight to be lifted from Hermione's shoulders. In the silence that followed, Hermione's fingers tapped rapidly against the top of the table and Malfoy watched the movement.

Thankfully it wasn't long before the waitress returned with a polystyrene cup in her hand. She placed the cup on the table with the bill and Hermione quickly dug around for her purse.

From the corner of her eye she saw Malfoy straighten in his chair, as if he was getting ready to leave and Hermione started rooting through her bag even quicker. After what seemed like an eternity, she finally found some spare change at the bottom of the bag and without looking at how many Sickles she had in her hand, she dumped them on the small tray.

As soon as the money hit the receipt, Malfoy stood from his chair. Hermione quickly followed, her hands reaching to snatch her gloves and scarf in one hand and her tea in the other.

"Well…It was nice to see you again." Hermione ended up saying in an overly formal tone.

Once again, Malfoy lifted his eyebrows minutely at her words and merely nodded in answer.

"If you want to owl me when you get back from France then we can set up the next meeting?" Hermione offered.

"Very well." He said before giving her one last nod and walking towards the café door and exiting out onto the icy street.

Hermione watched him go as a deep breath filled her lungs. Very well indeed. Not a moment later, she followed in his footsteps and apparated home.

ooo

**Chapter 2- A Mundane March**

Quik-e-note to Hermione Granger

Granger. I arrived back in London yesterday. If suitable, I will be free on the upcoming Wednesday. Seven PM at Café Abbott. Do not be late. Malfoy.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Draco Malfoy

Malfoy. I will see you there. Hermione.

ooo

This time when Hermione was stood outside Café Abbott, she was absolutely dreading the next hour. The note she had received from Malfoy hadn't been any less informal than the previous and though she had a date planned with Ron tonight, she had thought it best to simply cancel in order to keep the peace.

Ron had not been pleased at the last minute change of plans. It was funny how trying to keep the peace between one wizard could cause so much unrest with another.

As another sigh escaped her mouth, Hermione shifted from one foot to the other. Merlin- they had barely managed the previous ten minute meeting. What was she going to do for the next hour?

If Malfoy decided to be as unsociable as ever, what were they going to talk about? How were they going to pass the time?

As frustration welled in her throat, she mentally screamed out loud at Malfoy. Then with a deep breath and a bright smile on her face, she walked into the café.

Malfoy was sitting at the same table as he had been at their last meeting, only this time he was too busy reading a copy of the Daily Prophet to realise that she was making her way towards him. It was only when her body cast a shadow over him that he looked up.

He didn't look too pleased to see her she noted as she sat down. He slowly creased his paper in half and settled his hands on the table in front of him.

"Hi."

"Granger."

Ah- the welcoming silence.

Hermione found herself having to stop from craning her head around to see if a waitress would come their way and be her saviour again tonight.

"How have you been?"

"Good. And you?"

Déjà vu. "Good."

Malfoy nodded at her answer.

"How was your business trip?"

"Successful."

"Oh?"

"Yes."

Another mental sigh. "Where in France did you go?" Hermione asked with a tinge of desperation in her voice.

"A few main cities…"

Hermione lifted her eyebrows encouragingly. Thankfully he answered her prayers.

"I was in Paris for a few nights. Then Nice and Bordeaux."

"Did you get much sightseeing done?" Hermione asked eagerly. She loved hearing people's travel stories.

"It was a business trip not a holiday."

"…Oh."

And then silence again.

Her fingers started tapping away at the table. His stroked the newspaper beneath his hands.

The loo!

"If you'll excuse me for a minute." She said as she stood from her seat.

Malfoy didn't say anything and she quickly hurried towards the toilet. She could spend a few more minutes in here. Inside the toilet, she paced the floor and pretended to wash and dry her hands numerous times, all the while trying to think up topics she could bring up which would hopefully entice Malfoy into _some_ conversation.

Five minutes later when she couldn't possibly stay hidden in the loo for any longer without Malfoy getting funny ideas on what in Merlin's name she had been up to, she washed her hands one final time and walked outside.

Instead of heading back to their table, her legs seemed to divert her to the counter. She studied the menu for a short while before ordering a peppermint tea and a huge slice of thick, gooey chocolate and vanilla cake. It was only when she was walking back to the table with her purchases that she realised she hadn't asked Malfoy if he'd wanted something.

Her walk slowed to an amble as she considered how rude she was being. The angel on her right shoulder admonished her. Then the devil on her left shoulder popped up and started whispering in her ear.

It was Malfoy! He'd been here before her; surely he would have ordered something already if he'd wanted it. He certainly hadn't made any action to wave over the two waitresses that had been walking around the café taking orders when called.

Deciding she was being silly about wondering such a thing, she increased the pace of her walk; keeping her eyes firmly on her mug to make sure the tea didn't spill over the edge and scald her skin.

When she reached their table, she slowly sat her mug and plate down before taking her seat. She looked back to Malfoy and froze.

He was reading the paper!

He was just sitting here, less than a metre opposite her, ignoring her thoroughly and reading the bloody paper.

Hermione flushed, half in embarrassment and half in indignation. She huffed out a scoff through her throat that was quite audible to her own ears but one that Malfoy seemed perfectly content to ignore.

Merlin- and she had been wondering if she was being rude by not asking him if he wanted anything!

She certainly wouldn't make that mistake again.

Two can play at this game, Malfoy, she thought acerbically.

Reaching down into her handbag, she retrieved her wand and with a quick swish, the thick book she had been engrossed in for the last two days was enlarged back to its usual size. She lifted it in her right hand before banging it down on the table in front of her.

Keeping her eyes firmly on the task of going through the book to find where she'd last left off, she saw Malfoy jolt at the loud noise and forced herself not to smile. When she found her page, she settled back in her chair in a more comfortable position before cutting a large piece of cake and forking it into her mouth.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Malfoy finally look back down at his own paper. He rustled the paper importantly before resuming his reading.

And that was how they spent their hour.

Malfoy read every article in the Prophet from the front page to the sports section in the back. When he'd finished he began reading it again. She sipped her tea, ate her cake and read too.

She was particularly immersed in her book when she heard a slight wailing noise. Glancing up in shock, she looked at Malfoy with wide eyes before they fell to his wand that had been lying innocently on top of the table. It was currently emitting red sparks as if the warble wasn't enough to gain anyone's attention.

The noise was extinguished when Malfoy laid his hand over it. In the next second he'd stood from his seat and was looking down at her from his towering height.

"We've been here an hour. I will Owl you next month." He said before he walked away.

As much as she wanted to turn in her chair and glare daggers at his back, Hermione kept herself facing the same way. He'd set a bloody alarm! Honestly- could he make it any clearer that he didn't want to spend an extra second in her company than was necessary?

She finished the last dregs of tea and packed her things away in angry, sharp movements. The Ministry had gone mad. If they seriously thought that a relationship could be forged between her and Malfoy they had definitely been drinking too much of Madame Rosmerta's mead.

It was never going to happen.

ooo

_Dear Miss Granger,_

_We hope this letter finds you well. _

_From your latest submitted summary of this month's meeting with your partner, it has come to our attention that you and Mr Malfoy spent your time reading rather than conversing with one another. The aim behind these meetings is for members of our society to gain a better understanding of one another and the events that have shaped them into the witches and wizards they are today. In this way we hope that the riots plaguing our country will come to an end. _

_I hope that in your future meetings, you and Mr Malfoy will be able to put your time to better use. _

_Yours Sincerely_

_Griselda Marchbanks _

ooo

_Dear Mr Malfoy,_

_We hope this letter finds you well. _

_It has come to our attention that you and Miss Granger spent the time in your latest meeting reading rather than conversing with one another. The aim behind these meetings is for members of our society to gain a better understanding of one another and the events that have shaped them into the witches and wizards they are today. In this way we hope that the riots plaguing our country will come to an end. _

_I hope that in your future meetings, you and Miss Granger will be able to put your time to better use. _

_Yours Sincerely_

_Griselda Marchbanks _

ooo

Quik-e-note to Hermione Granger

Granger. Please tell me that you did not put the fact that we ignored each other last week in your meeting summary. Malfoy.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Draco Malfoy

Malfoy. The summary we are required to fill out is a legally binding document. I am not about to lie to the Ministry. Hermione.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Hermione Granger

Granger. For Merlin's sake. We could have easily passed these meetings without saying a word to one another if you'd kept your mouth shut. Now the Ministry will probably check up on us and we'll be forced to engage in conversation. Who knows what the consequences will be if they ever catch us sitting at the same table in silence? Malfoy.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Draco Malfoy

Malfoy. I hardly believe that Ministry will take the time to spy on our meetings with all the problems they are currently facing. And I'm sure you can bring yourself to make meaningless chatter for an hour. Even if it is with me. Hermione.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Hermione Granger

Granger. I'm sure I'll manage. Next month I'm free on the fourth. Same Place. Same Time. Do not be late. Malfoy.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Draco Malfoy

Malfoy. That's fine with me. I'll see you in two weeks. Hermione.

ooo

**Chapter 3- An Amicable April**

For the first time since their meetings began, Hermione apparated to Café Abbott early. A whole fifteen minutes to be precise. After their last meeting and the notes they had exchanged, she felt she needed a little time to get herself settled in the café before Malfoy arrived and their meeting began.

The day was pleasantly warm for so early in the year and though she still needed a coat to spare her a chill in the fresh outside air, she was disheartened when she saw all the outdoor tables were occupied.

No matter. She walked into the café and found herself automatically walking to their frequented table without even looking to see if any other tables were free. She was hoping to switch positions and take Malfoy's seat.

She wanted to start their meeting today with a fresh start and was hoping that if there was only a wall behind her instead of the entire café, Malfoy would be forced to look at her and make conversation.

Only he was already seated in his usual seat. He looked as surprised to see her as she did him.

"You're early." He stated.

"Likewise." She replied as she sat down.

As always, their first few moments were spent looking over each other. Malfoy was dressed in his usual dark business clothes. She however, had taken advantage of the sunshine and donned a light blouse with a knee length flowery skirt.

She half hoped that Malfoy would be surprised to see that she owned something other than the jumpers and woolly skirts she'd worn recently but the other half hoped that he didn't think she had dressed up to meet him.

Her mood dimmed slightly when she saw him casually place his wand on the table.

Oh well. She wouldn't focus on that…Regardless of how rude she found it.

"So. How have you been?" she asked.

"Good. And you?"

"Good. Nice weather today." She remarked.

Malfoy nodded his head. "It's supposed to return to what's usual for the year in a few days' time. Rainy and Windy."

"Oh." Hermione said as her brow furrowed. "I was hoping for a few more days of sunshine. I've been neglecting my garden."

And one topic was over. There were a few more moments of fidgeting…well from her at least.

"Have you had to go on anymore business trips?" she asked him after a small while.

"I was in Germany last week."

"You're lucky you get to travel so much for your work. I would give anything to visit different countries as part of my job."

"Because someone else is footing the bill."

Hermione stiffened before she recognised the amusement in his eyes and relaxed again. "Partly," she said with a smile. "But mainly because it's takes so much planning. A business trip is organised for you."

"I'm surprised." Malfoy stated.

"Oh?"

"I would have thought you would have enjoyed planning the small details."

"Actually, I've never enjoyed planning things. I get too annoyed and usually end up wanting to do them as I go along."

Malfoy nodded his head as if he understood her words personally.

"What do you do for work?"

"I'm a curator at the National Wizarding Museum."

A small smile, the first she'd ever seen from him, curled at his lips.

"What?" Hermione found herself saying defensively. She straightened in her chair, unconsciously expecting a verbal attack any second.

"You look like a curator."

Most of the curators Hermione knew, her boss included, were old grey haired men who wore stuffy suits with patches at their elbows.

Malfoy must have seen her stiffen because he continued. "I meant that the clothes you wear seem…bookish."

Hermione let out the breath of air she had been holding in her chest. Bookish. She could live with that. Especially when her own boyfriend had once remarked her work clothes were "similar to his Great Aunt's". She only hoped he wasn't talking about Muriel. Every time they met up for Christmas dinner she was forced to listen to the old woman go on about her increasingly worsening posture.

"I would have thought a curator's job would see them travelling to various countries to obtain artifacts."

Hermione smiled. "I've been on a few visits to collect artifacts but they've all been around England. When it comes to picking things up from abroad, my boss usually goes himself."

Malfoy nodded his head once at the information. Hermione hoped Malfoy would ask another question to continue the conversation as her own mind had gone blank but to her chagrin, the banter they'd ben engaging in seemed to fizzle out.

Awkwardness began to creep back in.

"Hello. Sorry it's taken me so long to get to you. Have you had a chance to look at the menu?"

Hermione looked up at the waitress who was smiling at the two of them expectantly. It was the same waitress as before. A right little rescuer wasn't she?

"I think we'll need a few more minutes." Hermione said as she picked up the menu from the middle of the table.

The waitress nodded her head. "No problem. I'll be back in a few." She said happily before she bounced away to serve a young family outside.

Hermione opened her menu and browsed it as Malfoy did the same. Her eyes read through the numerous offerings and although Malfoy had long since closed his menu, apparently having decided what he wanted after a few seconds, she was still debating when the waitress reappeared at their table.

"Black Coffee thank you." Malfoy said.

The waitress turned towards her. "Umm- I don't know what to get. I'll have a peppermint tea and a slice of chocolate and vanilla cake please." She eventually said as she closed the menu and handed it back to the waitress.

With a promise to be right back, the waitress headed towards the counter to get their order.

"I could never stand the taste of coffee." Hermione blurted out.

Malfoy did his lifting an eyebrow motion at the random piece of information but thankfully he latched onto the comment.

"Oh? I drinks cups each day."

Hermione thought about informing him on how bad that was for his health but thought the better of it.

"My parents are dentists and they wouldn't even keep coffee in the house. The first time I tasted it was in our second year of Hogwarts and I hated the way it tasted. I don't understand how people can drink it."

"Dentists?" Malfoy frowned at the unfamiliar word.

"Oh, how silly of me." Hermione smiled as she brought a hand to her head. "Dentists are like Healers except they specialise in looking after people's teeth."

"How…pleasant."

Hermione would have laughed out loud at the look on his face if it hadn't begun turning into a sneer.

"It's actually a very well considered profession." Hermione stated indignantly.

Malfoy had the grace to slip the sneer off his face. His apology, or what Hermione assumed would be an apology, was halted by the return of the waitress.

She transferred the mugs and plate from her tray to the table before leaving. Hermione stirred her tea vigorously.

"I didn't mean it like that."

She merely lifted an eyebrow in response.

"All right. Maybe I did. It's just…looking at people's teeth all day long."

"Yes, well. That's what they do." Hermione said, wondering how in Merlin's name they had got onto this conversation. Things had been going so well.

Oh yes- the coffee.

It seemed like the previous easy flow of conversation had vanished and they were now sitting opposite each other tensely just like their first meeting.

"Did you manage to catch the Minister's speech this afternoon?"

Hermione's head lifted at the change in conversation and her ears perked up as her mind flew back to a few hours ago when she'd been eating lunch and carefully listening to Kingsley's speech. For a moment, she debated telling Malfoy no, just to see how he liked it when the topic of conversation he'd picked was cut short.

A quick glance at her watch let her know she still had a while before his wand started wailing again.

"I did." She said with a nod of her head.

"Do you think his plans will work?" Malfoy asked as he took a sip of his coffee.

Hermione thought over what Kingsley had said. "They could." She said slowly. "It depends on whether people are willing to listen or not."

"And by people you mean…pureblood witches and wizards?"

Another mental sigh. Why did he take everything she said the wrong way? "No Malfoy. I'm not blind. I know it was Muggle-born witches and wizards who started these riots. But the fact that ex Death Eaters have been retaliating only makes matters worse."

"You think that they should just ignore the fact their homes and businesses are being damaged."

"No. I think that they should stand aside and let the Auror's do their jobs. Taking to the streets only makes it more difficult for the Auror's to distinguish between the rioter's and those trying to protect their homes."

"Maybe if more Auror's were drafted in from other countries they'd be able to deal with the riots."

"Maybe if the number of Auror's hadn't been dramatically depleted in the War they'd be able to deal with the riots."

"So the pureblood witches and wizards get what they deserve then?"

Hermione sighed tiredly. "No they don't. No-one deserves to feel unsafe in their own homes at night. But that's just my opinion. If everyone thought the way I did then we wouldn't be having all these riots."

"What's the Muggle saying that's being bandied around by the rioters? What goes around comes around."

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Malfoy smiled at the phrase and gave her a look as if to say "Touche."

And just like that, the anger over their argument faded from Hermione's body.

"Let's just hope that it's over soon. I was sceptical about the Ministry's idea about pairing up witches and wizards but if it gets them to talk then I'll eat my words gladly."

Malfoy nodded his head as he agreed with her words and the two took a simultaneous sip of their drinks.

"So have you kept in touch with anyone from school?"

"Yes. I occasionally still receive letters from Pansy and Goyle. We sometimes get together for a drink or dinner. I see Blaise regularly. He often comes to the Manor."

"Blaise?" Hermione said. She was having trouble placing the name with the wizard.

"Zabini." Malfoy supplied.

Hermione's mind conjured up an image of young dark-skinned man. He had been in the Slug Club, she remembered. She recollected being seated opposite him at one of Slughorn's dinners. His black eyes had been cool and detached…but they had briefly flared with something when Ginny had arrived.

She was startled to realise that, at the time, the memory had been so important her mind had filed it away and that she could now remember the dinner so vividly.

"I remember him now." She said plainly to Malfoy's questioning look.

"What about you? I won't bother asking if you've kept in contact with Potter and Weasley. But has there been anyone else?"

Hermione nodded her head. "I've kept in contact with quite a few people. Mainly those from the DA-"

"Ah yes. Dumbledore's Army. I remember that." Malfoy interjected.

"You should," Hermione said, a sly smile forming on her face, "We gave you the run around for long enough."

Malfoy's eyes flashed. "We caught you in the end."

"Only for a little while. How was Ginny's Bat Bogey Hex?" she asked innocently.

"Particularly vicious."

Hermione couldn't help but laugh. "Don't act as if you didn't deserve it."

"Excuse me Granger but I wasn't the one breaking the rules."

The annoyed, indignant look on his face only made her laugh harder. It was only when her stomach started aching with cramps and her eyes started welling with tears that she finally calmed down.

Malfoy did not look pleased.

"Sorry." Hermione finally said after her chest had stopped heaving.

"Apology accepted." Malfoy said.

The petulance in his voice nearly set her off again. She jumped in her seat when his wand started its warbling again. Thankfully Malfoy had retained his quick Seeker reflexes and smacked his hand down on the wand before it could get to its second screech.

Without saying anything, he quickly drained his coffee mug and waved a hand to signal for the waitress to bring their bill over to them. Hermione quickly followed suit and finished her own tea and cake.

In the two minutes that it took for the waitress to bring them their bill, neither talked but for once, the silence seemed comfortable.

Hermione began reaching for her purse when she saw the smiling waitress walking their way but when she placed the small receipt on their table, Malfoy quickly snatched it up before she could get a look at the total.

"I'll pay." He said simply as he reached into his robes and withdrew a Galleon and a handful of smaller coins.

"What no Malfoy, really- I can-"

"You can get it next time." He cut in.

Hermione's protests were cut short as she was semi placated. "Okay. Thank You." She said as she dropped her purse back into her bag.

When Malfoy stood from his seat she stood from hers too. He indicated for her to walk in front of him and she smiled before walking out of the café. Once outside, the sunshine hit her eyes and she was forced to squint slightly as she titled her face upwards to face Malfoy.

"Well. I suppose I'll see you next time." Hermione said. She didn't know what to do- whether or not she should stick her hand out for him to shake or not.

In the end she didn't. She merely gave him a smile. Which was completely wasted on him.

"Yes. Good bye Granger." he said with a nod of his head.

And then he apparated away.

ooo

**Chapter 4- A Momentous May**

Quik-e-note to Draco Malfoy

Malfoy. Hello. How are you? I was wondering if you would be free on Thursday for our next meeting? The month's coming to an end and I know how paranoid you are about the Ministry sending spies after you if you don't comply with their orders. Same time, same place? Hermione.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Hermione Granger

Granger. I am well thank you. Next Thursday will be fine for our meeting as is the time and the place. Malfoy.

P.S. Your wit is not appreciated.

ooo

Café Abbott was surprisingly quiet this Thursday evening. For the first time since their meetings began, Hermione was the first to arrive and having expected Malfoy to already be seated at their table, she was momentarily disorientated when he wasn't.

Glancing around the café, she quickly saw that he hadn't arrived yet and then began walking towards their table by the window. Settling herself in her chair, she fiddled for a few moments before reaching out a hand to pull the menu towards her.

She spent the next few minutes until Malfoy arrived scanning its various offerings and deciding what she would choose.

"Granger."

Hermione's eyes were shifting back and forth between the blueberry muffin and the apple pie when Malfoy said her name, causing her to jump a little. She looked up and immediately smiled as she saw him standing in front of her.

Closing the menu she said "Hello" and watched him sit down in front of her. She watched him shift in the seat and mentally congratulated herself for arriving early and turning the tables on him.

"You're early."

She shrugged her shoulders. "Only a few minutes." She said truthfully.

"Have you decided what you wish to order yet?" he said as he indicated to the menu with a tilt of his head.

Hermione looked back down at the menu. "Oh no, not yet." She said she reopened it.

Malfoy seemed to wait patiently for the first thirty seconds before waiting impatiently for the next. After a further minute had passed by, he seemed to give up and waved to get the waitress's attention.

This time "their" waitress wasn't anywhere in the vicinity, being replaced by a much younger girl with pigtails and a bored expression on her face. She held her tray as a shield in front of her and looked at the two of them with a scrutinising expression.

"What do you want?" she asked.

Hermione's eyes were wrenched up from the menu at the rudeness in the girl's tone.

"Coffee. Black."

Hermione flicked her eyes back to Malfoy. His tone had been as cold as she remembered it being from their Hogwarts days. It didn't seem to faze the girl one bit.

"You?" she asked/demanded as she turned to face her.

"Peppermint tea and a slice of chocolate and vanilla cake please." Hermione replied.

The girl nodded her head, scribbled something in her small black book and slumped off towards the counter.

Hermione looked at Malfoy. "She must be new?"

Malfoy merely gave a look as if to say that was no excuse and Hermione mentally agreed. For a few moments they didn't say anything. The waitress arrived surprisingly quickly with their order and only a minimal amount of liquid spilled over the rim of the mugs as she "placed" their drinks on the table.

Deciding that they needed to start their meeting from fresh, Hermione smiled brightly at Malfoy.

"So it seems as if you've been busy for the last few weeks then?" she said as she took a sip of tea.

"Yes. One of my business partner's wives just had a baby. The baby was born one and a half months early so he's taken some time off work. I've been trying to cover his work whilst he's away."

"Is the baby okay?"

Malfoy nodded. "He sent a picture into the office; his secretary was showing it off. He looked like a baby."

Hermione laughed. "What do you mean he looked like a baby!"

"He looked like a baby. Small, red and wrinkly."

Hermione laughed again. "Wait until you have your own kids. They'll look exactly like that but I bet you'll still be proudly showing off their picture. Parents are blind to their children's faults."

Malfoy seemed to sit straighter in his chair and he adopted a serious expression. Hermione saw the amusement in his eyes and so the smile wasn't swiped off her lips.

"I'll have you know that every Malfoy new-born emerges with smooth porcelain skin."

If Hermione had chosen that moment to sip some tea, she would have been spraying it all over him. Instead she settled for laughing loudly. "Emerges? I take it you don't plan on having kids?"

"I plan on having a family, just not anytime soon."

Hermione smiled.

"What about you?" he asked.

"What about me?"

Malfoy gave her a long suffering look. "I mean, do you want a family? You've been seeing Weasley for how long now?"

Hermione shifted in her chair. She didn't particularly feel comfortable discussing her personal life with Ron with Malfoy but she didn't want them to descend into another stilted meeting.

"It's been nearly two and a half years."

This time around, she thought in her own head. Whilst she and Ron had briefly dated in the aftermath of the war, their burgeoning relationship had fizzled out in under a month as they dealt with Fred's death and everything else they needed to come to terms with. It was only a year later when they had suddenly re-started their relationship.

"So no wedding bells yet?"

"Merlin no!" Hermione said quickly.

As she watched Malfoy's eyebrow rise slowly at her words, her own cheeks flushed. She shifted in her chair again.

"I plan on getting married. Just not anytime soon." She said as she mimicked his words from a few moments ago.

"And Weasley?"

"What about him?"

"I always had the impression that the Weasley's…settled down early on in life."

Hermione considered his words. She wasn't sure at what age Molly and Arthur had married but she knew that Molly had already had Bill at twenty-one. Fleur had only been twenty when she married Bill although to be fair, Bill was seven years older than his wife.

Not knowing what to say to Malfoy's observation, she merely gave a small shrug of her shoulders as if it to say it didn't matter if they did and she quickly changed the subject.

"How are your parents getting on with their meetings?"

"I am sure you already know my father has been paired with Potter." Hermione nodded her head once. "He isn't as vocal in discussing his meetings, unlike my mother who seems to think Patil is the daughter she never had."

"Your mother's been paired with Parvati?" she asked, surprised at the piece of information. From learning about who had been paired with whom, Hermione had determined that certain "well-known" Death Eaters had been paired up with "well-known" members of the Order of the Phoenix. Something that she was sure wasn't a coincidence.

"No. Her twin sister."

Ah, that made more sense, she thought.

"I wouldn't have thought your mother and Padma would have had much in common." Hermione said before she realised how bad her words sounded. Blushing she tried to backtrack. "Sorry. I didn't mean it in the way it came out."

Malfoy merely gave her a look which she struggled to decipher and she found herself holding in her breath tightly as she awaited her verdict.

"My mother hasn't had much chance to spend time with other witches in a "real" environment."

"A real environment?" Hermione questioned.

"Pureblood society witches aren't normally known for their friendly personalities. To each other's faces at lunches and teas, they may act friendly but there's a lot of back stabbing in their world. I don't think my mother has had any real female companionship since she was a young child."

Hermione suddenly found herself feeling a huge amount of empathy for a woman who had once looked at her as if she'd sniffed something disgusting.

"Well I'm glad her and Padma are getting on well then."

Malfoy nodded his head.

"Do they meet up in a café too?" she asked curiously.

Like Malfoy's father, Harry was being similarly tight-lipped about his meetings. Hermione would have pushed him but she recognised the stubborn look on his face that told her she would be wasting her time. Ron however had briefly mentioned that the only good thing about his meetings was that he got to spend a full hour drinking quietly in peace. It didn't seem as if much conversation was taking place between him and Goyle. Hermione would have admonished him but the thought of getting into another useless argument made her keep her words to herself.

"They actually met at Madam Puddifoot's for their first meeting but since then they've never met at the same place twice. I know they once went to Brocklehurst's Spa; they've had dinners at Juniper and more lunches than I can count."

"They meet up more than once a month?" Hermione asked.

"Yes. With my mother at home and Patil only having a part-time job at the Prophet, they meet up quite often."

For some reason unknown to her, Hermione had never considered the possibility that partners would see their meetings as anything other than a duty they were required to carry out, despite how friendly they may become towards each other.

For the next few minutes, they simply sat in silence and watched the goings on in the café. Well she watched the goings on in the café and Malfoy watched the goings on in the street since she had stolen his seat and his back was now to the café. It was another way of turning the tables on him.

"Have you managed to persuade your boss to let you go on any foreign business trips yet?" Malfoy questioned.

Hermione turned back to him with a smile on her face. "Not yet but I live in hope. I think he has a trip to Italy in a few weeks' time."

"And you don't get to go with him?"

"Haha, not this time. I get to stay behind and act as head curator for four days."

"And what perks does head curator get."

Hermione smiled wryly. "Longer hours, more stress and the allowance of ordering the curator under them to get them a cup of coffee. Seeing how that curator would be me, my perks simply include the longer hours and the stress."

Malfoy studied her face. "You like your job." He stated.

"No, I love my job." Hermione corrected. "Don't you?"

"Yes. It's well paid and I enjoy it. We all have to do something. But if circumstances allowed me to stop working I wouldn't miss my life now. You on the other hand would seriously consider continuing to work. You like your job than most do theirs."

"Like you said, we all have to do something and whilst I wouldn't mind living a life of leisure, I would be bored not working at least a few days a week. Wouldn't you?"

Malfoy shrugged. "And give up the chance on honing my Quidditch skills?" he said with a smile.

Hermione laughed. Just then he sounded so much like Ron. She decided not to point out the similarity. "You still play Quidditch?"

Malfoy nodded. "Yes. I was actually offered a conditional position with the Quiberon Quafflepunchers."

Malfoy must have seen the puzzled expression on her face as he answered her question without her having to ask it.

"They're ranked number one in France."

Her expression cleared before another unanswered question popped into her head. "So how come you're not playing for them now? It's obviously your dream job."

A mask came and fell over Malfoy's face and Hermione breathed in tightly. What had she just said wrong?

"They offered me the position at the beginning of our sixth year in Hogwarts."

He didn't need to say anymore. Hermione could figure the rest out easily. Sixth year- when it had all started. When it had all gone wrong.

"And now?" she asked tentatively.

Malfoy breathed in a deep breath through his nose and Hermione watched his nostrils flare slightly. "And now I own a business."

The conversation was over. She could tell from the tone of his voice and although she had a dozen questions racing through her head, she kept them firmly in her mouth.

Not wanting to descend into an awkward silence she quickly changed the subject. Well slightly.

"Was owning your own business your original back up plan?"

"My back up plan?" Malfoy asked slowly with a small furrow in his brow.

"You know. Your back up plan. Say you didn't get your first job, what would you do next? That kind of thing."

Malfoy still looked puzzled and Hermione began to feel embarrassed at asking the question in the first place.

"No. I never thought I would have my own business." The expression on his face changed. "What's your dream job?"

"How do you know being a curator isn't my dream job?" she asked nonchalantly.

Malfoy raised a single eyebrow. "Is it?"

She shifted in her chair. "Well no. I never really knew what I wanted to do when I was younger. Harry and Ron always wanted to become Auror's when we were in Hogwarts but I was always changing my mind."

"Between?" Malfoy pushed.

"Everything and anything," she smiled. "Healer. Auror. The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures."

"Ah yes. S.P.E.W."

Hermione's eyebrows rose so fast she was sure that if she was in a Muggle cartoon they would have lifted off her head. He remembered S.P.E.W? Not only that but he had actually called it S.P.E.W. and not spew! Merlin, even Ron couldn't manage that.

"You remember S.P.E.W?" she asked him still astonished. "That was in our fourth year!"

She grew even more fascinated when she saw his pale cheeks turn a shade of red. He cleared his throat uncomfortably.

"Actually I remember your badges."

The smiled dropped off her face to be replaced by a frown. "My badges?"

He cleared his throat again. "Yes. Do you remember Diggory's Triwizard Tournament Badges."

Hermione's mind flew back to their fourth year. "Um, yes I think so."

"I came up with the Potter stinks badges after seeing you wear your S.P.E.W. badge."

Oh. The Knut dropped and Hermione felt foolish for thinking he would have actually remembered anything positive regarding her society.

This time she was the one who sat stoically while Malfoy struggled to get the conversation started again.

"So now that you know my dream job. What's yours?" he asked.

Hermione blushed as the answer immediately jumped into her head. She was so embarrassed that she even forgot she wasn't planning on forgiving him anytime soon.

"Oh, I don't know." She said as she took a large, hasty sip of tea that made it blatantly obvious she was lying.

"Liar." Malfoy pointed out not a second later.

"I'm not lying!" Hermione lied.

Malfoy looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm not!"

"Oh come on Granger. If you were a lady of leisure," he said quoting her earlier words, "And you could do anything- what would you do?"

Hermione breathed in deeply, not fully believing that she was actually going to tell someone, especially Malfoy, her little secret.

"If I could do anything in the world- I…would like…to be an author." She said the last few words in a quick rush before waiting with baited breath for him to start laughing.

Surprisingly, he didn't. He seemed to consider her words seriously before speaking.

"It fits."

Hermione lifted her own eyebrows. "That's it? That's all you're going to say?"

Malfoy looked a little taken aback at her harsh words. "What else were you expecting me to say?"

Hermione didn't respond. She merely shook her head slightly. Merlin- she couldn't believe he wasn't laughing. Ron would have laughed his head off.

"You were always interested in books. It makes sense that you would like to pen your own."

Hermione smiled, still feeling uncomfortable about the subject and wondering how to start a fresh conversation.

"What kind of book do you want to write?"

She flushed. A romance book. "I don't know. Fiction probably."

Malfoy gave another serious nod.

"Do you enjoy reading?" Hermione asked him.

"I do. Wizarding Classics mainly or crime thrillers. What are you reading at the moment?"

"Jane Eyre. It's a Muggle Classic. I've read it so many times my copy's old and tattered."

"I have to admit I haven't ever ventured into Muggle classics. Flourish and Blotts doesn't stock them."

"You would actually want to read them?" Hermione blurted out before she could stop herself.

Malfoy leaned back in his seat but thankfully didn't look too angry. "I can appreciate great literature regardless of where it comes from."

Hermione nodded her head. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that- it just came out."

Malfoy seemed to accept her apology by the small nod he gave her. At that moment, his alarm wand went off.

Malfoy quickly quelled the noise with the touch of his hand and they both looked at each other.

"Well, time to go I suppose." Hermione eventually said as she gathered her things.

"Yes." Malfoy said as he stood and moved around his chair before tucking it back in.

He waited for her to gather her bag before gesturing for her to leave in front of him. Outside the café, they both turned to face one another again.

"Our next meeting will probably be sometime early next week if that's okay with you." Malfoy said.

"That's fine." Hermione quickly agreed. "I'll owl you letting you know when I'm free next week."

"Well until next time, Granger."

"Bye."

ooo

**Chapter 5- A Joyous June**

Quik-e-note to Draco Malfoy

Hello Malfoy. I just got home and checked my diary. The only time I'm free next week is Friday. Could we possible meet a little earlier than usual? Around five would suit me best. Hermione.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Hermione Granger

Granger. I am also available next Friday and the earlier time would suit me too. I have plans for dinner which I am unable to change. Until then, Malfoy.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Draco Malfoy

Great. I'll see you then. P.S. I have a little surprise for you. Hermione.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Hermione Granger

Granger. Dare I ask what this surprise involves? Malfoy.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Draco Malfoy

Malfoy. No- you'll have to wait and see. Hermione.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Hermione Granger

I'm counting down the days. Malfoy.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Draco Malfoy

Why do I get the feeling that you're saying the words in a sarcastic tone? Hermione.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Hermione Granger

Because I am. Malfoy

ooo

The sun was shining strongly when Hermione entered the café. In her left hand she carried her handbag whilst in her right she held her small present for Malfoy. She had originally decided to simply hand him his surprise before she'd realised what day it was and had gone the extra step by wrapping the present up with a big bow.

Hopefully Malfoy would believe her when she told him that she hadn't originally bought him the present simply because it was his birthday.

As she made her way over to their back table, she saw Malfoy smile when he caught sight of her. His eyes then immediately fell to her right hand, while her eyes fell on the mug and plate that was resting in front of him.

"Peppermint tea and cake?" she questioned as she sat down.

"I decided to order for you." He said simply.

"Oh. And what if I don't want peppermint tea and cake today?"

She watched Malfoy lift an eyebrow. "Granger, every time we meet you spend ten minutes looking over the menu and then end up ordering the same two things."

Hermione blushed. She knew his words were true. She always entered a café or restaurant set on trying something new but when the time came, she convinced herself to stick to the things she enjoyed.

"Well…thank you." She said as she settled into her seat more comfortably.

She took a sip of her tea and even though the liquid was hot, it was still refreshing on such a warm day.

"So are you going to give me my surprise now?" Malfoy drawled.

Hermione smiled. "Have you been looking forward to it?" she teased.

Malfoy merely rolled his eyes haughtily. Lifting her hand from underneath the table, she offered him the wrapped package.

He took it from her hands but instead of tearing it open, he merely stared at it.

"It won't bite." Hermione said in an amused tone.

Malfoy indicated to the large green bow. "A birthday present?"

"Actually, I didn't realise it was your birthday until earlier today, hence the green bow."

He pulled the bow apart slowly. "I didn't think you would have remembered when my birthday was."

Hermione hesitated. "Actually I remembered from our Hogwarts years. I think it was in our third year when Harry, Ron and I overheard you…boasting…about the dragon skin Quidditch gloves your father had sent you."

Thankfully Malfoy smiled at the memory and nodded his head. He tore open the wrapping paper and stopped when he caught sight of the books.

"It's nothing much," Hermione found herself saying when he didn't speak. "I just thought you might enjoy reading them and since you can't get them anywhere in the Wizarding World…"

"No. Thank You." He said as he flipped through the titles before coming to a pause, "Animal Farm? Is this not a children's book." He said as he saw the animals on the front cover.

"Yes…and no. I read it first when I was a small child but there's a much deeper message…I think you might…relate with it."

Malfoy gave her a confused look at her words before continuing to leaf through the rest. She had bought copies of all her favourite books that she thought he would enjoy.

"Pride and prejudice?" he said as he picked up the book and turned it over to read the small blurb at the back. He finished in a few seconds before he looked back up to her. "A romance book?" she said in an unimpressed tone.

Hermione laughed. "Give it a go."

Malfoy still looked sceptical. "Maybe I'll leave it till last." He said as he put it back down on the table.

"You're missing out." She told him as she cut into her cake.

"Oh?"

Hermione smiled. "You resemble a certain character in the book."

Malfoy picked the book back up again. "Who?" he questioned.

"You'll have to read it and see." Hermione told him.

From the rolling of his eyes, Hermione deducted that he thought she was merely making up falsehoods to get him to read the book.

"Grimm's fairy tales?" he said as he picked up the thick book and flicked through it, stopping occasionally to look at the pictures.

"I didn't read any Wizarding fairy tales until our seventh year. I thought you might find them interesting."

"Snow White and the seven dwarves? What does the snow have to do with dwarves?"

Hermione laughed. "Snow White is the name of the princess in the story."

"That's a strange name to call someone." Malfoy commented.

"Pot calling the kettle black." Hermione countered.

Malfoy's forehead creased in confusion. "Pots and Kettles? Is that in the book too?"

Hermione sighed before shaking her head. "It's a Muggle saying, forget it. Read the story and you'll find out the reasoning behind her name."

"What's your favourite?" Malfoy asked.

"Fairy tale?"

"Hmm."

"Easy. Beauty and the Beast."

Malfoy flicked through the book. "It's not in here." He said.

Hermione shook her head. "It won't be. It wasn't written by the brothers Grimm. It's originally a French fairy tale. I'll send you my copy by Owl if you wish but watching the movie is a whole lot better."

"A movie?"

Hermione shook her head again. The first thought to pop into her head was to offer Malfoy to come with her to watch the film but it seemed like too much of a date in her head.

"It's like a continuous stream of moving pictures." She briefly explained.

Malfoy accepted her short description. Waving his wand, he shrunk the pile of books and slipped them into the pocket of his robes. "I look forward to reading them."

Hermione smiled. "So do you have any birthday plans?"

Malfoy nodded his head. "Actually that is why I was pleased you asked to meet earlier than normal. My mother's organised a small birthday dinner at the Manor."

"Sounds like fun."

Malfoy shrugged slightly. "She always missed celebrating my birthday when I was at Hogwarts so she tries to make up for it now."

Hermione understood. Being an only child herself, her parents had always spoiled her on her birthday. She knew they found it difficult when she was at Hogwarts which is why their Christmases together were always so special.

"So how was your temporary promotion?"

"Extended by a few days but just as I predicted."

"You had to get your own tea?"

Hermione smiled. "And my own cake too. How's your work going?"

"Good. My business partner is currently working from home but at least the work is getting done."

"How's the baby."

"From the latest picture, looking a little less wrinkly with a more normal skin tone."

Hermione shook her head but she couldn't help the smile that formed at her lips.

"So who's invited to your birthday dinner tonight then?"

"Mother usually prefers to keep it small. Until a few years ago it was simply mother, father and I. Nowadays she'll extend an invitation to Blaise who attends whenever he's in the country."

"In the country?"

"He splits his time between England and Italy. It's the reason why he was able to get out of doing these meetings."

"Is he coming tonight then?"

Malfoy nodded his head before giving a small smile. "Mother's got it into her head that Patil needs to start dating again and Blaise is the wizard she has in mind."

Hermione laughed. "Does Blaise know he's being set up tonight?"

"I don't even think Mother has let Patil know."

"Poor Padma. I feel like I should Owl her so she has time to prepare herself."

Malfoy lifted an eyebrow. "Believe me; nothing you say will prepare her for tonight."

"What does Blaise do in Italy?"

"Lives a life of leisure."

Hermione's brow lifted. "What?"

"Thanks to his mother's marriages he doesn't need to work so he chooses not to. He hires someone else to run his various ex father's businesses and spends his time doing what he wants to do."

"Like what?"

"Travelling mainly."

"Wow, he's lucky." Hermione commented.

Malfoy nodded his agreement before taking a sip of coffee. The two descended into silence.

Hermione scanned the café and caught sight of their regular waitress. She smiled at the girl who was currently behind the counter and was rewarded with a familiar wave.

A thought drifted into her head.

"Can you believe that it's been five months already?"

Malfoy smiled before shaking his head.

"Do you remember our first meeting?" Hermione laughed as she reminisced. "Who would have thought we would be able to sit here for an hour and actually carry out a civil conversation."

"I suppose the Wizengamot knew what they were talking about when they passed the law."

"Did you catch the front page of the Prophet?"

Hermione nodded eagerly. "Thank Merlin they caught him. It was a good thing the riots came to an end but knowing the Auror's have actually caught the main man behind the Muggleborn Reliance is reassuring."

"I still can't believe he was a seventy." Malfoy said with a shaking head.

"I know! I couldn't believe it either. He looked so frail when the Auror's were taking him to Azkaban. It's strange to think that such a weak man can harbour such hatred."

"…His grandson was apparently killed by a Death Eater at Hogwarts." Malfoy said in a quiet voice.

Hermione froze in her chair. She hadn't known that. She didn't know what to say.

"He was a fourth year." Malfoy continued. "He'd stayed behind to fight. He was hit by the killing curse from an unknown Death Eater."

After a few moments, Hermione finally found herself being able to unstick her tongue from the roof of her mouth.

"Many people died unnecessarily in the War. But taking the law into your own hands means that people can never heal. Losing his grandson doesn't give him the right to terrorise others in his quest for revenge."

Malfoy looked at her in a scrutinising expression. "You're telling me that you don't agree that the sentences for Death Eaters were too lenient."

Hermione shifted uncomfortably, her gaze unconsciously flicking to Malfoy's left forearm. She, Harry and Ron had met to vent their frustrations at the leniency of the sentences when they had first been announced years back.

In the end, she simply decided to tell the truth.

"You're right. I did think that certain people's sentences were too lenient. But over time, they've contributed to re-building our world sufficiently enough for me to think it was a good thing they were rehabilitated rather than sent to Azkaban."

Malfoy seemed to ponder over her words for a few moments before he opened his mouth to respond.

"-I-"

His wand startled them both when it began emitting red sparks. Malfoy's hand quickly moved to touch the piece of wood so it quietened. Had it been an hour already?

Hermione opened her mouth, wanting to tell Malfoy to continue, wanting to hear what he would say.

But he stood from his chair before she could voice her thoughts. Hermione followed his movements and after Malfoy had thrown a couple of Galleons on the table, they moved towards the exit.

Once outside, she turned to face him. "I hope you have a good birthday dinner." She said in a deliberately light tone.

Malfoy nodded his head, his thoughts still clearly on their heavy conversation.

"Promise me you'll warn Padma if she arrives before Blaise." Hermione added with a smile.

An answering one formed on Malfoy's face and a weight was lifted off Hermione's shoulders.

"I'll see you next time Granger." he said.

"Bye."

"Bye."

And Hermione watched him apparate home. A few seconds later she apparated home herself, for the first time thinking that she could have easily carried on their meeting past the required hour.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Hermione Granger

Granger. It is not possible that a grown woman could climb up a young woman's hair without the poor chit going bald. Incredibly unrealistic. Malfoy.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Hermione Granger

Granger. A house made out of gingerbread? In the middle of the woods? Where it rains? Explain. Malfoy.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Hermione Granger

Granger. After reading what seems like hundreds of inane tales I finally come to one which involves some actual magic. Transfiguring rodents into men seems a little far-fetched but then again, they are Muggles. Malfoy.

ooo

**Chapter 6- A Jealous July **

Quik-e-note to Hermione Granger

Granger. My mother has decided to hold a small dinner party this coming Saturday and I have been requested to invite you. I thought we could have this month's meeting at the Manor. I believe Potter and Weasley have been invited also. Malfoy.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Harry Potter

Harry. Have you been invited to a dinner party at Malfoy Manor? Hermione.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Hermione Granger

Hey Mione. Yeah, I got an Owl today. Are you planning on going? Harry.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Harry Potter

I don't know. Malfoy wants us to have our monthly meeting there. Won't it be strange? Are you going? Hermione.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Hermione Granger

Lucius suggested the same thing and I think I will be going. It's got to be better to spend an hour with other people than alone with him. I'm sure you feel the same about Malfoy. I think Ron's coming too. Mrs Malfoy invited him and Goyle. Harry.

ooo

Hermione read Harry's latest note warily. To be honest, she would much rather spend an hour alone with Malfoy in their café than sit through a whole dinner with his family at the Manor. But she could hardly say no could she? Not that Harry would say anything if she offered Malfoy an excuse to get out of it.

However saying no just because she didn't want to spend time with Malfoy's family wasn't an idea that sat well with her. She and Malfoy were beginning to get on well enough- who was to say that his family wouldn't have changed either? Surely Harry wouldn't be accepting the invitation if Lucius was still his awful evil self.

And who knew- maybe it would be a fun evening?

The positive angel in Hermione's mind seemed to fizzle out after its short piping up and she sighed. Having a gut feeling that she was going to regret it, she penned a short note to Malfoy informing him that she would be happy to attend the dinner and was looking forward to it.

ooo

The Saturday in question seemed to arrive before Hermione was ready for it, which was strange because she had spent so long preparing herself mentally.

She had thought up lists of appropriate conversation topics for any potential attendants. She had even practiced the conversations in her head, although she had stopped whispering them out loud when her boss had caught her and begun watching her warily as if she was going to descend into a manic fit any second. She had put together the perfect outfit; a simple black dress with a green band around the waist. Being a budding fashion designer, she had got Ginny to okay the dress before she had decided on it for certain.

The only problem had been what to bring the Malfoy's as a gift. Wine was the obvious solution but she was certain any wine she could procure would be frowned upon as being cheap swilsh to their expensive tastes. Eventually she had decided upon a large bunch of pretty pink flowers for their hostess.

With butterflies in her stomach threatening to make her sick, she apparated to Malfoy Manor. The outside hadn't changed much; its dark foreboding status only briefly lessened by the sunlight dancing across the black arches. She walked up the steps and found herself standing in front of a large set of ornately carved doors, a silver serpent head knocker directly in her line of sight.

Here we go, she thought as she picked up the snake and banged twice. The doors opened in under a second and Hermione looked down in surprise when she faced a house elf clothed in a rather dapper looking suit.

She was so surprised she was sure she even gasped. Clothed house elves? Had she apparated to the right Manor, she asked herself stupidly.

With a low bow, the house elf spoke. "This way, Miss Granger."

"Oh um thank you." Hermione said to the elf, shocked that he knew her name.

The elf smiled at her before clicking his fingers. The large bouquet she had been carrying instantly vanished from her hands leaving them oddly bereft. They unconsciously began to cross in front of her chest but Hermione caught herself. She forced them to hang limp by her sides in what she hoped looked to be a normal looking position.

With short steps, she followed the house elf. They turned the corner and Hermione was led into a beautiful room which thankfully, held a recognisable face. Unfortunately, before she could make her way towards Harry, Mrs Malfoy caught sight of her. She immediately broke off her conversation with Blaise and started heading her way.

Hermione waited uncertainly for Malfoy's mother to reach her. She was unsure of how to face this regal woman who was smiling welcomingly. She was used to dealing with a much more proud woman than what was currently facing her.

She glanced around the room nervously and her eyes landed on Malfoy. He was smiling at her and she quickly answered, prompting him to begin making his way towards her. She sighed in relief.

With a hesitant smile on her face, she turned her body to face Narcissa Malfoy.

"Miss Granger. Welcome. I'm so glad that you were able to attend tonight and thank you for the wonderful flowers. They are beautiful."

Hermione momentarily froze at the onslaught of positive words before she realised how rude she was being and plastered a smile over her face. Still unsure as to how Mrs Malfoy would know about, let alone have seen the flowers she'd brought along, she spoke. "Thank you very much for having me Mrs Malfoy. And you're very welcome for the flowers."

The older witch made a dismissing wave with her hand. "Oh please call me Narcissa."

Hermione merely smiled politely. Malfoy chose that moment to reach her and she turned to him.

"Hi Malfoy."

"Granger. I'm glad you could make it. How have you been?"

Before she could answer, Narcissa jumped in. "Draco. You're still calling each other by your surnames?" she admonished lightly. When she turned to face Hermione, she found her cheeks warming slightly.

"You must call him Draco. It's been six months after all." Narcissa told her.

Hermione looked at Draco amusedly as she nodded her compliance. "And you can call me Hermione."

Narcissa smiled widely, looking suitably impressed at having got the two of them on a first name basis. After a brief moment of basking in her smugness, she excused herself and wondered back to Padma's side.

"I apologise for my mother. It's the first time she's having a dinner party since the War ended and I fear the excitement may have got to her head."

Hermione smiled. "Don't be silly, you don't have to apologise for her." She told him.

"And you don't have to call me Draco if you don't wish to. We can continue to call each other by our surnames if it makes you more…comfortable."

"It's fine Mal- sorry Draco. Your mother's right. It's been six months. We should be able to call each other by our first names by now. Especially if Harry and your father can manage it."

Malfoy chuckled slightly. "I still don't think I'll ever get used to father calling Potter anything other than Potter."

Hermione laughed. "It's the same with me." She confessed. "So who else is here?" she asked as she peered around Malfoy.

He shifted a few steps until he was stood next to her. "Potter's over at the back," he said as he pointed towards Harry with a nod of his head, "Blaise is over in the corner talking to father. Goyle is by the hors d'oeuvres. Padma's talking to mother-"

"Keeping well out of Blaise's way I see." Hermione interjected.

Draco smiled slyly. "Not for long."

Hermione turned to face him with a furrowed brow but Malfoy simply smiled mysteriously.

"Who are the couple at the back?"

Draco turned his head. "Milly and Theo." He answered.

"They were partnered up together?" she asked in a confused tone.

"No. They're a couple. Mother invited Milly because she felt she needed more ladies present. Unfortunately Milly and Theo just got engaged and rarely separate from each other's side."

Hermione smiled. "That's sweet." She said. Malfoy merely rolled his eyes at her words.

"So am I the last to arrive? Is Ron here yet?" she asked as she craned around the room.

Beside her, Malfoy shifted. "No your boyfriend isn't here yet." He said.

Hermione turned to look at him. "Who else is coming tonight?" she asked.

"No one else. Your boyfriend is the last one to arrive."

Hermione smiled nervously. Something in his tone was off and she felt the need to come up with an excuse for Ron's late arrival.

"He should be here soon." She said.

Malfoy ignored her. With a nod towards Harry, he began walking in the wizard's direction. Hermione followed.

Harry caught sight of her and smiled widely. Once within arm's reach of him, she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Hey Mione." He smiled back before turning to face Malfoy.

"Potter." Draco acknowledged.

"Malfoy."

"How have you been?"

"Good. You."

"Can't complain."

And that was the end of that conversation.

Men, Hermione thought. She turned to face Draco.

"So I see you enjoyed reading the books," she said, remembering the quik-e-notes she had been inundated with. "Have you managed to get through them all?" she asked him.

Malfoy laughed. "Not all of us are bookworms like you. I've read the fairy tales and Jane Eyre and I just started on Animal Farm."

Hermione hesitated. "How are you finding it?" she asked him uncertainly.

Malfoy looked thoughtful for a moment. "It's interesting." He said.

Harry broke the silence that followed. "You gave him Muggle books to read? Why am I not surprised?" he laughed.

Hermione smiled and elbowed him good naturedly in the side.

"Oh look, Ron's here." Harry said as she nodded towards the room's entrance.

Hermione and Malfoy both turned around and Hermione smiled as they caught sight of each other. Without a word, she made her way towards him, aware that both Draco and Harry were following her.

"Ron." She said as she tilted up on her toes in order to give him a hug. In response, he pressed a kiss to her lips.

"Hey mate." Harry said as he clapped Ron on the back.

Ron merely nodded his head at Harry's welcome, his eyes not straying once from Draco.

"Malfoy." He all but spat and Hermione felt the butterflies begin to swim around in her stomach again.

"Weasley. I'm glad you could make it."

Ron remained quiet. Hermione looked at Harry helplessly, wordlessly begging him to do something- anything- to get the conversation going. Harry merely shrugged his shoulders at her in a "What am I supposed to do?" motion.

Plastering a happy smile on her face, she tilted her head up to Ron's. "We were just talking about the books I gave Draco last month."

At her familiar tone regarding Malfoy's name, Ron's head whipped down to her. An arm came to wrap around her waist and he pulled her to his side. Not expecting the motion, Hermione teetered on her heels and fell into Ron's side. Embarrassed, her cheeks flushed red and she smiled nervously.

It was only after a second that she realised Malfoy's hand had come out to steady her. "Are you alright?" he murmured quietly.

Her self-consciousness increased as she moved her hand away from Malfoy's vicinity. Before she could respond to his concern, Ron answered for her.

"She's fine Malfoy." He said.

Hermione shifted uncomfortably as she smiled apologetically to Malfoy and at the same time tried to relieve the iron like grip of Ron's fingers around her waist.

Once again, her eyes sought out Harry's and thankfully he came through.

"Malfoy was just saying how he's managed to read the fairy tales and Jane Eyre Mione gave him. Do you remember that book mate?" Harry asked.

Ron ignored the question and Hermione discreetly elbowed him in the side. He ignored that too and she found herself gritting her teeth as Harry doggedly continued.

"Mione thought he'd read all the books by now but to quote Malfoy "Not all of us our bookworms.""

Ron scoffed as a sneer formed on his face. "Still using the same old insults Malfoy. Just because Hermione likes to read doesn't make her a bookworm."

"Ron!" Hermione gasped. "He was only joking." She told him, mortified at his behaviour.

Ron scoffed again. "Yeah right. You're so naïve Mione. After everything he's done to you in the past. He made your life at Hogwarts hell, calling you Mudblood at every turn-"

"Ron!" "Come on mate-"

Ron turned to Harry with a gaping look on his face. "You have to be joking. You were there when he made her cry after calling her you-know-what."

Humiliation washed through Hermione. She turned towards Malfoy with a shaking head, not knowing what to say. She wished she could simply re-wind the whole evening and start over again.

"I-I'm sorry." She eventually said to him.

Ron's fingers dug into her side. "You're apologising to him?" he said incredulously.

Hermione turned to face him angrily. "Hogwarts was a long time ago Ronald. Things have changed since then. Draco's changed since then."

Ron's face mottled red and he looked fit to burst. Hermione held her breath, waiting for the explosion to come.

"Is everything alright Draco?"

Four heads swivelled around to face Narcissa. Her society wife smile didn't waver as she looked at each of them, her gaze lingering on Ron's face and his fingers around Hermione's waist for a touch longer than normal.

"I'm sorry Narcissa. Everything's fine."

"Now that all members of our party are here," she directed a look at Ron, "I thought we could sit down to dinner."

Hermione laughed nervously. "We'll just be right with you." She told the older woman.

Narcissa lingered for a touch longer before she nodded her head and glided away. As soon as she was out of sight, Hermione tightened her own fingers around Ron's and pushed them away from her.

"Mione…"

"I think it best if you left Ron."

Ron ground his teeth. "Are you coming?" he asked angrily.

Hermione gaped at him wordlessly.

"Mate- maybe you should head off and we can catch up with you later?"

Ron's face flushed red and his nostrils flared. "Fine." He spat out. "Just fine." he said before he apparated away.

His departure left a silence that the three of them didn't quite know how to fill. Hermione stared at Harry. Harry looked at Hermione. Hermione looked at Draco under her eyelashes. Malfoy stared at her.

Hermione didn't know what to say. She couldn't believe Ron had embarrassed her so much. She never wanted Draco to know how he'd made her feel and for Ron to exaggerate so much to say her life at Hogwarts had been hell…

Eventually Harry spoke. "I'll leave you two alone for a moment." He said.

Hermione wanted to drag him back towards them. She didn't want to be left alone with Malfoy! She glanced at him again and smiled slightly when she realised he was staring at her.

"I'm sorry for what Ron said. You didn't make my life at Hogwarts hell."

She carefully avoided the part about him making her cry and thankfully he didn't push further.

Hermione bounced uncertainly from one foot to the other. She wished she was at home, tucked up in bed with a book rather than having to face a lengthy dinner.

"Are you alright?" Draco finally asked.

Hermione flicked her eyes to meet his. "I'm fine." She said. Her tone resembled a particularly high pitched mouse squeak. She cleared her throat but didn't speak again.

Malfoy looked at her for a few more moments before he sighed and nodded his head. "We should head to the dining room." He said as he lifted a hand, gesturing for Hermione to walk in front of him.

She did, feeling both glad and bothered by the warm hand that had courteously settled at her lower back. He dropped it just as they were about to enter the dining room and Hermione shivered at the loss of heat.

Entering the room, she hesitated as she realised everyone but her and Malfoy were already seated. She glanced around to the other occupants and smiled hello. Her smile faltering slightly as she faced Draco's father.

Catching sight of two spare seats, one being next to Harry, she quickly rushed over to it and sat down. Harry gave her a small wink which didn't give her the usual uplifting feeling.

Malfoy sat down in his seat at the other end of the table and Hermione saw him exchange a meaningful glance with his mother.

"Well. I hope everyone's hungry." Narcissa said. A small bell rang and a group of house elves carrying plates laden with food emerged.

Hermione hadn't been eaten since breakfast and she should have been watering at the mouth for dinner but the mixture of smells that would normally have enticed made her stomach churn uncomfortably.

Conversation around the table was strained from the very beginning. The table had been set beautifully and looked uneven with an empty place where Ron would have sat. Harry and Hermione ate quietly, participating in conversation only when asked direct questions; Hermione subdued by the night's events and Harry picking up on her feelings. Malfoy was equally quiet, conversing in low tones with his father on topics that others seated around the table couldn't hear. Goyle ate his food, Milly and Nott only had eyes for each other and Padma and Blaise, who Narcissa had seated side by side, were having their own problems. Blaise would make a move; a small brush of his fingers, all accidental of course, and Padma would retreat uncomfortably. Narcissa was trying to engage everyone in conversation but it was obvious she was finding it difficult. The whole evening seemed to have a heavy cloud over it.

By the time dessert was served, a chocolate and vanilla cake (must have been a co-incidence) Hermione was more than ready to go home. She felt tired and thankfully Narcissa had decided to forgo the expected after dinner coffee.

"Are you going to see him tonight?" Harry murmured quietly as they waited to tell their exhausted hostess goodbye.

Hermione wrapped her shawl around her shoulders. "No." she said shortly, her hands pulling her hair out from under the shawl in angry pulls.

"Mione…"

"No Harry. Do you know how embarrassing it was for me tonight? I've had enough."

Harry sighed deeply but didn't say anything to change her mind. Instead he turned to face Narcissa.

"Narcissa. Thank you for dinner. It was great."

Malfoy's mother smiled knowingly but she accepted Harry's words. They exchanged the usual platitudes before it was Hermione's turn.

"Let me go and call Draco to escort you out." She said. Before Hermione could point out she was quite adept in apparating home herself, Narcissa was waving Malfoy over.

Hermione sighed but forced a small smile on her mouth. She and Malfoy walked down the Manor's front steps in silence and Hermione breathed in the warm air as she came to a stop at the bottom.

She turned to face Malfoy.

"I'll owl you." He said.

Hermione shifted to face him and nodded. Turning away, she reached into her bag for her wand.

"Hermione."

She momentarily paused in her movements, tilting her body a few degrees so Malfoy would know she was listening to him. Her right hand continued its rummaging.

"I'm sorry."

Her hand grabbed her wand and froze.

"For what?"

"...For everything."

Hermione sighed before she turned to face him. "It's fine Malfoy. It wasn't your fault." She lied before apparating home.

ooo

**Chapter 7- An Awkward August **

Quik-e-note to Hermione Granger

Hermione. I hope you are well. Next week will be the first week of September and we have yet to meet up for this month's meeting. I understand that you are busy and have other things on your mind at this moment but I hope you can spare me an hour. Would Wednesday be alright with you? Draco.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Draco Malfoy

Malfoy. Wednesday is fine with me. Hermione.

ooo

Hermione was late. And now that she was stood outside the café being subjected to covert looks, she wished she could have turned up even later. Maybe never?

She bristled as she caught eye with another witch staring at her. She knew what she looked like but did they have to be so obvious? She hadn't washed her hair in over a week- Merlin she couldn't even remember the last time she'd brushed it before the ordeal she had undertaken half an hour ago to look semi-respectable for this meeting with Malfoy.

Things had descended so badly that her boss had taken her into his office and offered her paid leave until "she was feeling better."

If Hermione was being honest with herself, she had no idea why she was feeling so horrible after her break up with Ron. After all, she had been the one to do the dumping. Deep down she felt angry at the fact she had spent so long overlooking his negative qualities. Why in Merlin's name had she, a witch who liked to think of herself as being strong and independent, wasted so much time with a wizard who was clearly wrong for her?

Unfortunately, it seemed at present, her anger was buried deep beneath layers of emotionless depression.

And now, to top it all off, she had to go and face Malfoy who to quote Ron "was the only reason why she was breaking up with him".

Hermione scoffed as she pushed open the door to the café. She had no desire to stand outside anymore. It was surprisingly cold for the end of August and the dark clouds threatened an imminent downpour of rain.

Breathing in the familiar comforting smells of the café, she spotted Malfoy almost immediately and made her way towards him.

Catching sight of her, he stood from his chair until she reached him. Hermione watched him take in her clothes and her hair calmly.

Sighing, she sat down. Her eyes landed on the food and drink in front of her.

"Thank you." Hermione said as she picked up the mug and took a sip of tea.

Malfoy nodded his head as he took his seat again.

"How are you?"

He asked the words in such a matter of fact tone, not at all with a touch of sympathy/pity she had gotten used to, that it took her a moment to answer.

"I'm fine." She replied. "Why wouldn't I be?" she added in an uplifting tone.

Malfoy looked at her for two long moments. "Your split from Weasley made the front page of the paper."

Hermione wrinkled her nose at the headline that had been boldly plastered over the Prophet. "I'm fine." She repeated.

Malfoy took a sip of his coffee. "I hope the dinner party wasn't the cause of any friction."

Hermione caught his eye. "It wasn't." she lied before looking away. Her fingers fiddled with the rim of her mug. When she looked back up at Malfoy since he hadn't spoken in a while, she found him staring at her.

Hermione gritted her teeth, ready to push away any other statements regarding her and Ron's relationship. She didn't want to discuss it…with anyone…and especially not Malfoy.

Thankfully, Malfoy seemed to get the message. Hermione's brain seemed too lethargic to make small talk and she looked out of the window as the first fat dollops of rain started dropping down. They splattered against the ground and she saw people hurrying to their destinations whilst others magicked up umbrellas.

"Horrible weather." Malfoy commented.

"Hmm."

"I expected the rain but the temperature seems to have dropped a few degrees."

"Hmm."

"According to latest figures, we've had the coldest summer in 18 years."

Hermione merely flicked a glance his way to show she'd heard him.

"How's work?"

Hermione turned to face him fully. "I'm on _voluntary_ paid leave." She said with a raised eyebrow, daring him to go back to the topic of Ron and her.

Malfoy's smile showed he recognised the dare but he kept his mouth shut.

Thank Merlin, Hermione thought as she looked back out of the window. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Malfoy stare at her for a few more moments before he seemed to give up. He joined her in her watchings of the world passing by.

She drunk her tea. He drunk his coffee. She ate her cake. And he watched her.

She didn't know how she knew his eyes were on her, especially since her hair had come loose from her messy bun and was hanging over her face, but something innate in her just knew.

After fifteen or so quiet minutes, Hermione heard him shuffle in his chair as he straightened. She took in a deep breath of air, readying herself for having to contribute in whatever conversation Malfoy was about to strike up.

"Hermione, are you sure you're alright. Weasley's an-"

"I'm fine Malfoy. And I don't want to talk about Ron!" she snapped.

She froze after the words tumbled out of her mouth. She simply stared at Malfoy for a few seconds, her chest panting heavily despite the fact she hadn't exerted herself.

Malfoy opened his mouth and Hermione brought her shoulders up, ready for his understandable scathing response.

"Back to Malfoy I see."

Hermione let out a breath. "I…I'm sorry…Draco. It's just that Ron is a bit of a sore topic. I don't want to talk about him."

Slowly, Draco nodded his head. He took a sip of coffee before next speaking.

"My mother finally coerced Padma on a date with Blaise."

Hermione was briefly thrown by the random topic of conversation but smiled when she realised it was expected of her. Her mind briefly flitted back to the night of the dinner party and the uncomfortable tension between the two.

"Oh?" she asked in an interested tone.

A smile formed on Draco's lips. "My mother can be quite devious when she wants to be. Her Slytherin traits come through when people least expect it. She made a lunch date with Padma…and the same with Blaise."

Hermione smiled wider. "And I imagine they were at the same time and at the same place?"

Draco chuckled lightly. "You're catching on."

"They don't call me the brightest witch of my age for nothing you know." She said arrogantly.

Draco laughed outright and Hermione felt her spirits lift.

"Go on then. Tell me what happened."

"Padma was too polite to get herself out of it and Blaise wasn't gentlemen enough to help her."

Hermione laughed. "And how did things go?"

"Well I think. Padma's not telling mother much. She probably doesn't want her getting too smug but I know Blaise, he could charm the knickers off any witch."

Hermione scoffed as she rolled her eyes. Draco caught the motion.

"You don't believe me?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No." Hermione laughed. "No wizard can be charming enough to fool every witch in the world- young or old."

"So naïve."

Hermione's easy smile faltered as she remembered Ron calling her naïve at Malfoy Manor. Draco's smile slipped off his face as he mimicked her serious expression and Hermione quickly forced the smile back onto her face.

"Even Madam Pince?" she asked laughingly.

Draco's face twisted in revulsion. "Well thank you Granger, for that pleasant thought."

"Back to Granger I see?" she joked.

Malfoy shook his head in despair at her wit.

Hermione forked more cake into her mouth, her taste buds having magically come back to life. There was a knock on the window from beside them and they both turned to the look outside at the same moment.

A flash blinded her, its light bouncing off the glass and burning her retinas. Draco seemed to recover quicker than her- she heard his angry shout and the loud scrape of his chair as he stood from his seat. He was already in the middle of strolling out of the café before Hermione's mind jerked into gear and she realised that the witch taking the picture had been a reporter.

Gasping at the revelation, she turned in her chair just in time to see Draco disappearing out of the café door. Her first instinct was to apparate out of the café and onto the street but she was halted by the wards that were always in place in any restaurant.

Her frustrations were directed at those who didn't pay for their goods as she picked up her bag, threw a few Galleons on the table and ran out to follow in Malfoy's footsteps. She quickly hurried over to where he was standing, arguing loudly with the witch, his towering height doing his best to intimidate the small woman.

"Draco." She gasped as she reached his side.

The witch used Draco's momentary distraction to her advantage by pulling her arm free from his hold and apparating away with a pop. Camera and all.

Hermione stared at the spot the witch had stood, dismay filling her as she realised what was going to grace the front page of the Prophet tomorrow morning. She could waste all the breath in her body telling people that she and Draco had merely been in the middle of their required meeting but she knew people would see what they wanted to see. And they would make up their own wild stories.

Her ears burned as Malfoy swore explicitly from next to her and she quickly flitted her eyes over the few people that were beginning to gather around them.

"Draco stop, it's okay."

"No. It isn't!"

"Yes. It is." She said strongly. "Look, there's always going to be people like that taking my picture…I'm sorry that this time it involves you too. You have every right to be angry."

"I'm not angry for me!" he snarled.

Hermione took a step back, both at his tone and his words. The retreating action seemed to calm Draco down.

Hermione hesitated. "Look, there's still fifteen minutes of our meeting left. Let's go back inside and get out of this rain." She suggested softly.

Draco ran his hands through his hair before he straightened his robes and threw a disgusted look at the people surrounding them. They walked back to the café in silence.

Resuming their seats, Hermione realised that their drinks had yet to be taken away. Thank Merlin. She latched onto the tea and took a sip. The liquid heated her insides and she kept her eyes cast downwards.

She didn't know what to say. The lightness they had been experiencing not ten minutes ago seemed to have evaporated. The uncomfortable tension from the beginning of the meeting was back.

This time though, Malfoy made no move to start talking again and any topic that Hermione could think up in her head…sounded…lame.

In the end she said nothing.

The fifteen minutes couldn't pass by quick enough in her eyes and when Malfoy's wand wailed, she breathed in a sigh of relief. She wasn't the only one looking forward to the end of their meeting. For the last six minutes, she'd been watching Draco's hand hovering in the wand's vicinity, as if its sheer presence would somehow make the alarm go off before the allocated time had passed.

They both quickly stood and Draco gestured to the Galleons and sickles she had thrown on the table.

"I paid before you arrived." He said and Hermione looked down at the money blankly.

She took the Galleons back but kept the Sickles as a tip for their waitress. She followed Draco out of the café before coming to a halt. Flicking her wand, she conjured up a large umbrella to protect them from the lashing rain.

"So…I suppose I'll see you next month then." She said as she looked up at him.

He nodded his head. "I will contact my personal lawyer to see what I can do to keep the pictures out of tomorrow's paper."

Hermione was too busy stunned by the fact he had a personal lawyer to reply. He apparated away and she quickly followed.

The next day, the headline on the Prophet was nothing to do with her and Ron and more importantly, nothing to do with her and Malfoy.

ooo

**Chapter 8- A Stumbling September**

Quik-e-note to Draco Malfoy

Hello Draco. I'm free next Thursday for our meeting if you are? Hermione.

P.S. I don't think I ever thanked you for somehow stopping the picture of us from being published in the paper. Thank You.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Hermione Granger.

Your thanks are not necessary. I am free next Thursday. I will see you then. Draco

ooo

Rain. Wind. More Rain. And even more wind. Hermione apparated into Diagon Alley and without even looking where she was going, she lunged for the entrance to Café Abbott. She bumped into a young wizard exiting the café but thankfully the non-spill take-away cups he was carrying did their job and they were both able to walk away from the bump unscathed.

The few seconds she had been outside had all but drenched her and spotting the fact that Malfoy had yet to arrive (most strange), she quickly headed straight into the loo to dry off.

Thankfully it was empty and she was awarded some privacy as she whisked out her wand to dry her hair and clothes, both in and out.

When she exited the toilet in a much more comfortable state, she saw that Malfoy has arrived in the interim. He was evidently waiting for her to arrive by his fixated stare on the front door and Hermione smiled in mischief at the thought of creeping up to him and surprising him.

She found herself walking up to him in a slow gait, similar to if she was the lead character in a spy movie. Her hands crept out ready to startle and she froze as Draco's head turned to look right at her.

He looked at her outstretched hands then at her face with unimpressed eyes. His right eyebrow rose slowly and Hermione dropped her hands. She smiled at him sheepishly as she took her seat opposite him.

"I was trying to scare you." She admitted.

"I see."

"So..."

"So."

Hermione looked at him. Why was he behaving so strangely?

"How have you been?" she asked.

"Well. You?"

"..I've been good too."

"Good."

"…"

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

Hermione didn't answer. Instead her mind turned into a centrifuge as she spun ideas around on why Draco was acting so oddly. Deciding it would be better to get the conversation going with a simpler topic, she turned to the obvious.

"I can't believe it's practically Winter already."

"Hmm. We haven't had much of a Summer this year."

Déjà vu, Hermione thought. Hadn't they already had this conversation during their last meeting?

"So…Have you been following the Quidditch this year?" she asked whilst she mentally congratulated herself on bringing up the topic of Quidditch.

Draco nodded his head. "I have. I've been to a few games. I didn't realise you were a fan of Quidditch?"

"I enjoy watching a game every now and then. Unfortunately, in Harry and R-" she faltered for a moment before continuing strongly "Ron's world, anyone who doesn't know the entire life history of every player in England's team isn't a "real" fan."

Draco smiled. "Have you been to a game this season?"

"And brave this weather? I don't enjoy Quidditch that much. And anyway," she shrugged as if the next few words meant nothing to her; "Harry and Ron tend to go to games together."

"I have a ticket to the first day of the final if you would like to accompany me?"

Hermione's eyes must have bugged out of her head. Tickets to the Quidditch World Cup Final were expense enough but tickets to the first day of the Quidditch World Cup Final sold for ridiculous prices.

"Oh wow, Draco. That sounds amazing but I…I can't."

Draco's brow furrowed. "You have to work on a Sunday?"

Hermione shook her head. "No of course not- it's just- the first day of the Quidditch World Cup- I don't know- wouldn't you rather take a friend?"

She knew the words were the wrong ones when she saw Draco stiffen in front of her and his grey eyes narrow into cold slits. She rewound what she had just said in her head and she sucked in a breath.

She opened her mouth to apologise- to backtrack her awful words- but Draco spoke first.

"I had thought we were friends." He stated in a cold voice.

"No! We are!" Hermione assured. "I just thought you might want to take a-" she faltered off as she realised what she was going to say would simply dig her in a hole deeper. A _real_ friend?

Bugger, she swore as she watched Malfoy's face detach itself from the situation further.

"I-I thought you might want to take a friend who'll be more appreciative of the opportunity than I will be."

The lie -because that's what it was, a lie- was a cop out and what was worse was that they both knew it.

Silence followed as Hermione looked at Draco pleadingly and Draco looked back at her coldly. The meter space separating them suddenly felt like it was miles. A mental image appeared in her head. One of her standing on the Dorset coast whilst she shouted apologies to Draco's back as he stood facing away from her on the coast of Calais.

His chair scraping back broke her out of her reverie. She watched numbly as he stood from his chair and looked down at her.

"If you'll excuse me I have somewhere I need to be." He dismissed as he stepped out from behind the table and made his way to the exit.

Hermione jumped up from her own seat. "But wait, Draco please." She all but ran out of the café.

Surprisingly, he actually listened to her. Or at least that's what she thought. When Draco turned back around he was holding a brown paper package in his hand. As she neared closer to him, he threw the package at her. She looked down at it with blank eyes before she turned her head to face him.

…He'd already dissaparated away.

Looking back down at the package, she tore open the paper and froze. It was a book. A beautiful old book of Wizarding fairy tales. The pages were thin and illustrated with intricate ink pictures that looked like they'd been done by hand. On the inside page there was a piece of parchment.

Happy Birthday. Draco.

Guilt began to bubble in her stomach, making bile rise up her throat. Oh Merlin- how could this have happened?

She minimised the package and slipped it carefully in her pocket before she walked out of the café in a daze. When she stepped outside, she found herself standing in the rain for a few more seconds, waiting for Draco to apparate back. Of course, he didn't.

In the end, she gave up and went home…where she was faced with having to write the mandatory account of their meeting. Her hands actually began sweating as she picked up her quill.

What was she supposed to write? What was she supposed to say?

In the end, to her deepest shame, she lied.

For the next few days she waited with baited breath to see whether she would receive another reprimanding letter from the Ministry. But she didn't.

Which meant Malfoy had lied too.

ooo

**Chapter 9- An Overcast October**

Quik-e-note to Draco Malfoy

Dear Draco. Hello. How are you? I haven't heard from you since our last meeting. I hope you received my Owls. The end of October is next week so I was hoping you would be free on Friday for our meeting? Hermione.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Hermione Granger

Granger. I'm busy with work next week so will be unable to meet you. We can both report to the Ministry that we had our meeting and I doubt they will discover the truth. They didn't after our last meeting. Malfoy.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Draco Malfoy

No Draco. I don't want to lie to the Ministry again. Please? Hermione.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Hermione Granger

Fine Granger. I've had a last minute cancellation for a meeting on Thursday. Malfoy.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Draco Malfoy

Thursday is fine with me. Although I hope you don't mind if we don't meet at the café this month. Hermione

ooo

Quik-e-note to Hermione Granger

Where exactly do you propose that we do meet then? Malfoy

ooo

Quik-e-note to Draco Malfoy

It's a surprise. Don't worry- I'll send you a quik-e-note on the day. Hermione.

ooo

Hermione was excited. She was so excited she was feeling giddy. In the end she had decided that it would be best if she and Malfoy did meet at Café Abbott. At least then she would be able to keep the surprise a surprise for a little longer.

She had sent Draco a note earlier on in the day to come prepared and to wear warm clothes. She herself was bundled up in layers of tops and jumpers whilst an old pair of her Dad's fisherman socks were concealed under her boots.

The newly installed chime on the café door tinkled and Hermione twisted her head to see if it was Draco. She stood from her chair when she saw him walk through the open door. The excitement she had been feeling muted down and her smile transformed into a more hesitant one. Taking a few steps, she met him halfway.

He was looking at her blankly and she swallowed the butterflies clogging her throat.

"I'm glad you came." She told him earnestly. He gave her a small nod and she continued. "I'm so sorry for what I said last time. I do think of you as a friend- I was just shocked. I didn't think you would actually want to meet me outside of our meetings…I was just surprised. I'm sorry."

Draco looked at her for a long moment and worry crept into her as the seconds ticked by. Oh Merlin- he wasn't going to believe her was? He wasn't going to accept her apology.

"It's fine Granger."

Relief flew threw her body. She decided to not point out that he had called her Granger and not Hermione.

"So what's this surprise then?" he asked in a drawl.

Hermione smiled. "You'll love it. Come on." She said as she grabbed the arm of his robes, ready to dissaparate. Then she looked down as she realised what she had a hold of.

"You're only wearing your robes. I told you to wrap up warm."

Finally he smiled. "It's called a warming charm Granger. You might have heard of it." He teased.

Hermione laughed. She tightened her hold on his arm and apparated them away.

They landed in a field in the middle of the English countryside. Only this was no ordinary field. It was covered with hundreds if not thousands of tents, each of which had flags of various sizes jutting out from them. There were witches and wizards scuttling around, talking and laughing loudly as children argued and traded cards that portrayed famous players.

"The Quidditch World Cup." Draco stated blandly.

"The Quidditch World Cup!" Hermione screeched. Tugging at his hand, she pulled him along through the tents and followed the majority of Wizarding folk as they headed towards the stadium.

"Can you believe the final's been going on for so long? I wonder if this is the longest Quidditch match there's ever been?"

"It's not. The longest Quidditch match was three months."

"Three months! Wow, well this one's getting close."

"How did you manage to get tickets?" Draco asked her curiously.

Hermione flushed. She didn't exactly want to tell Draco that she had spent an inordinate amount of money, well for her at least, begging everyone she knew in a bid to get these tickets.

"I asked around." She said nonchalantly instead.

The look on Draco's face made it evident that he didn't believe her but thankfully he didn't push the matter further.

"So who's playing?" she asked as she took out the tickets from her pocket and looked at the names of the teams.

Beside her, Draco scoffed and she could see him shaking his head. "Moutohora Macaws versus the Quiberon Quafflepunchers."

"Quiberon Quafflepunchers? Isn't that your team?" Hermione asked without thinking.

"Not my team Granger." He said quietly.

Hermione smacked herself on the head mentally. "I'm sorry."

"You seem to be apologizing for an awful lot today."

His eyes were twinkling with amusement and she smiled. "Sorry!"

Draco shook his head.

"So which country do the Moutohora Macaws play for then?" she asked as she looked around, thinking the team's colours might give her an answer.

"They play for New Zealand."

"So New Zealand and France?"

"New Zealand and France."

They came to the stadium and went to stand in the correct queue. There looked to be thousands of people in front of them.

"How did England do?" she asked curiously.

"Not very well. Let's just leave it at that."

Hermione smiled. She looked around and spotted a stand selling merchandise.

"Wait here." She told Draco as she hurried to the stand. She spent a few minutes looking over the products before deciding to get two programmes. Hopefully they would tell her all she needed to know about today's game and she wouldn't look completely inept.

Looking inept in front of Harry was one thing. He merely smiled, rolled his eyes and explained things slowly and good-naturedly like the big brother he was. Looking inept in front of Draco was something else altogether. She didn't want to look like a fool.

Leafing through one of the programmes, she walked back over to Draco and handed him his. She stopped when she came across a page with a team picture of the Moutohora Macaws. She scanned the faces, realizing she had actually seen a face or two in the entertainment section of the Prophet- usually on the arm of a leggy model.

She flipped the page over and froze as her eyes were blinded.

"Oh Merlin!" she laughed as she pointed to the page and looked up at Draco. He looked from her face to the page and Hermione laughed harder when she saw his pale cheeks actually colour red.

"Shocking pink! Their robes are shocking pink! You would have had to wear these robes!"

Draco tried to act cool. "They're only robes Granger."

"Mhmm-hmm."

She would have continued her teasing if there hadn't been a huge surge in the crowd. She and Draco were pushed forward and Hermione got their tickets ready to hand to the guard. They were directed to the level where their seats were and Hermione got ready for a long climb.

Whilst she hadn't got seats in the Top Box like in the summer before their fourth year and whilst she probably hadn't got seats in one of the upper tiers like Draco probably had originally bought, she had managed to push the boat out a little. Hopefully they wouldn't get too bad cricks in their necks from looking upwards.

After a few sluggish minutes, the climb up the stairs got even more brutal. Outwardly Hermione remained calm and collected but inside, she was yelling at the organizers on why they hadn't yet figured out a way for game goers to Apparate directly into their seats. What made it worse was that Draco seemed like he was taking a leisurely walk in the park.

After what seemed like an eternity, and with her legs feeling like they were on fire, they finally reached their seats. Hermione collapsed onto hers; her legs shaking in response to the lactic acid build up. She rubbed her calves as Draco took the seat next to her.

"Tired?"

Hermione turned to look at him incredulously. She huffed out a breath she had been holding in a futile bid to prevent him from seeing her panting chest. She nudged him in the side with her elbow as she gulped in breaths of air.

"Not all of us are as fit as you."

"Why thank you Granger."

"I didn't mean it like that! I meant fit exercise/healthy wise."

"Mhmmm-hmmm."

"Be quiet and read your programme." Hermione huffed as she looked around to see if she could spot a witch or wizard selling some water.

Suddenly a bottle of cool orange juice was dumped in her lap. She looked up at Draco with surprised eyes but accepted the drink.

After taking a few hefty sips she felt much better. "Thank you. When did you get it?"

"When you were huffing and puffing up those steps like an old woman."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him in faux anger but she didn't retaliate.

"So what's the score so far?"

"The New Zealanders are winning with 890 but a few days ago one of their main Chasers was knocked of his broom. They've not played as well since then."

And people always questioned why she hated flying. Look at what happened when you did!

"Is he okay?" she asked worriedly.

Draco turned to give her an amused look. "He's in a coma in St Mungo's."

"Oh dear."

A loud boom caused the heart in Hermione's chest to almost explode out of her ribcage. Cheers deafened her as an enormous phoenix swooped down from the sky, flew around the stadium before it exploded into thousands of mini phoenix's that batted around young children's heads.

Draco leant towards her so he could yell into her ear. "A phoenix is the official mascot for the New Zealand team."

Hermione nodded her head as she caught sight of a mini phoenix headed her way. She outstretched a hand and the phoenix nudged her fingers for a few seconds before exploding into a burst of red, yellow and blue glitter.

"The team colours." Draco told her and Hermione once again nodded her head. She had already come to the conclusion herself.

The Quiberon Quafflepunchers entrance was a little brighter as the whole stadium was bathed in such a bright shade of pink, the players themselves were almost invisible in their similar coloured robes. Hermione couldn't stop herself from giggling as she saw their display and imagined Draco taking one of the player's places. Harry and Ron would have died happy.

All the fun and games ended abruptly as the referee flew into the pitch and the commentator's booming voice signaled the beginning of the game.

Hermione was lost in the action in the first few seconds. The swooping and diving of the players had her standing from the seat as she tried to keep an eye on all the action at all times. Occasionally Draco would divert her attention to a particular player or a particular move and Hermione would be awed at the lack of fear the players showed.

As goals were scored, her excitement grew and being on no team's side, she cheered for when anyone did anything impressive.

How two hours passed by she never knew but her throat was glad for the few minutes reprieve of half time. In all the excitement, she hadn't realised the weather had taken a turn for the worse and strong winds were lashing around the stadium. Now that she was sat in her chair and not jumping up and down, the cold hit her and she shivered violently.

"Merlin. It's freezing." She said as she turned to face Draco. He glanced at her and narrowed in on her nose, immediately making her self conscious.

"What?" she asked as she moved to cover it with a gloved hand.

"Nothing. You're nose has just turned a very vivid shade of red."

Hermione was sure her cheeks were turning the same shade now as well. Her nose had always resembled a glowing beacon in the cold.

"It's cold." She said defensively as Draco chuckled at her expense.

Hermione looked over him critically. How was it possible for her to look like such a mess whilst he looked as if he'd just got ready in the morning? She zeroed in on his hair. There wasn't even anything in it to keep it in place. She vividly remembered the slicked back look he'd had in their first year of Hogwarts.

Maybe there was some charm to keep your hair how you wanted. Slowly, she self-consciously lifted her own hand to her hair. It got tangled in the first second. Bugger. She knew it resembled a bird's nest.

Before she could care too much, music fired up once again as the players zoomed out on their brooms. Whilst she was looking up, it seemed Draco had his eyes meters down on something that was happening on the pitch below.

"What are you looking at?" she asked him as she tried to squint to make things out.

With a nod of his head, he indicated the direction he was looking in and Hermione saw what had caught his attention.

Someone had placed a Wingardium Leviosa charm on the phoenix mascot and he was now flying into the Quiberon Quafflepunchers stands and taunting the team's fans.

Hermione laughed at the mischief until the smile was wiped off her face as one of the Quiberon Quafflepunchers fans had enough and aimed a hard punch to the phoenix's head.

The mascot flew down to the floor with an inaudible thud but it still made Hermione wince. Leaning over the balcony, she tried to peer down to make sure the mascot was unharmed.

She was jolted as an arm wrapped around her waist, anchoring her in place. She looked down at the arm and followed it to the wizard.

"Careful." Was all Draco said before he diverted his attention back to the game.

Hermione smiled to herself before she leaned back over the balcony again. She felt his arm tighten, ready to stop her if she fell, and she placed one of her gloved hands over his to secure herself more firmly.

The rest of the match went as quickly as the first half and unfortunately there was no end as the tiny Snitch remained elusive. Hermione cheered enthusiastically as the exhausted players flew a lap around the stadium before they disappeared back into their respective changings rooms.

Hermione and Draco joined the queues to leave and descended down the mountain of steps and exited the stadium. The walk back in the pouring rain was barely noticed as they chatted about the match and predicted what would happen in the future.

When they finally reached the non- apparition border, Hermione hesitated. This was their first meeting that had lasted for over an hour and she had had so much fun, she really didn't want it to end. But the thought of asking Draco if he wanted to go and get a drink or a bite of dinner was something she found herself unable to do.

And so they both stood there. At the border. In the rain. Until they both caught each other's eye and burst out laughing.

"Would you-" "How about-"

"Oh sorry you go first." Hermione said.

Malfoy shook his head. "After you."

Despite being pleased at his manners, Hermione's head went into a spin. Bugger. Bugger. Bugger.

"I'm starving and I'm craving Tom's shepherd pie. Do you want to join me?" she asked.

"Sure. Sounds good."

Hermione smiled and they both apparated away.

ooo

**Chapter 10- A Nostalgic November**

Quik-e-note to Draco Malfoy.

Hi Draco, So? You promised you'd Owl me when you find out how it went! And I'm still waiting! Not happy! On other matter, I'm free on Thursday if you are? Hermione. P.S. Have you made your mind up yet?

ooo

Quik-e-note to Hermione Malfoy.

Hermione. Apologies for not Owling you as soon as I finished talking to Blaise. I had thought you were joking when you asked me to Owl you as soon as I found out. Regardless, their date went fine and I believe they are due to meet up again soon. Is your curiosity satisfied? Thursday is fine with me- as long as we do not go to that Indian restaurant again. My tongue has yet to recover. Draco. P.S. I haven't decided yet.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Draco Malfoy

Draco. It went _fine_! That's all you're going to say. Honestly, I was expecting more details than that. My curiosity is most definitely not satisfied. Okay, I promise we won't go to the Indian Cauldron again. How do you feel about Thai food? Shall I apparate to the Manor so we can go together? Hermione. P.S. I still feel horrible about the fact you paid for the last dinner since you barely ate anything. This time dinner's _my _treat!

ooo

Hermione apparated to the main parlour of Malfoy Manor directly and was welcomed by Narcissa Malfoy. She had evidently been waiting for her and Hermione smiled warmly the older witch. "Naricssa hello." She said.

"Hello Hermione. I'm sorry; Draco isn't ready for you quite yet. He only arrived home from work twenty minutes ago. He shouldn't be too long."

Hermione waved her words away. "Oh no worries. How have you been?" she asked as she was directed to a chair in front of the roaring fireplace which she took gratefully.

"I have been well. And you?"

"I've been good too."

"So where are you and Draco off to tonight?"

"I thought we'd try Thai tonight. I still can't believe he hasn't eaten anything else apart from English food."

"And some French food." Narcissa added somewhat defensively.

"And some French." Hermione corrected.

"Try to steer him away from ordering anything to spicy will you? You know how wizards are about these things. As if they'll seem less manl-"

"Mother, Hermione." Draco interrupted as he walked into the room. He was fiddling with a cuff link before he straightened his sleeve and pecked Hermione hello on the cheek.

"Are you ready to go?" he asked her and Hermione nodded her head.

"The restaurant is near Muggle London so it's easier if we apparate there and then walk." She said to Draco. Knowing that he wasn't familiar with Muggle London, she offered him the choice of Side-Apparating with her which he nodded his head to.

Hermione smiled once more in goodbye at Narcissa before her and Draco both disapparated.

As Hermione regained her balance- she was still not one hundred percent comfortable with side along apparition; Draco straightened and studied Muggle London with confused eyes. When he all but jumped as a passing car honked at someone else on the road, Hermione gathered her senses and quickly led Draco to the restaurant.

Being such a cold night and the middle of the week, the restaurant was quiet and Hermione decided on a table by the window since there wasn't much chance of the door continuously opening to let the cold draft in. She smiled when she was handed a menu by the woman who had the manner of being the proprietor of the restaurant.

Scanning its contents, certain appetising dishes leaped out at her. When she glanced up at Draco to see what looked good to him, she smiled at the look on his face.

"Want me to order for the both of us?" she offered.

Draco smiled as he shut his menu. "I think that would be best."

Hermione shook her head and looked back down at the menu. Occasionally, she asked Draco whether he preferred one dish over the other until she selected the dishes they would be eating for dinner. As if the waitress had read her mind, she popped up next to their table and Hermione ordered their food.

"So I take it from your last owl you found my details regarding Blaise's love life inadequate."

Hermione laughed quietly. "You and your mother have been regaling me with every aspect of Blaise's attempts to get Padma on a date with him for weeks now. Now that she finally relented, do you expect me not to wonder on what happened? It's your own fault." She told him.

Draco chuckled. "Unlike witches, wizards don't tend to have heart to heart conversations with each other regarding their dinners with witches. I have no more information to give you."

"Your mother hasn't said anything to you?"

"Whatever is discussed between my mother and Padma is usually kept firmly between my mother and Padma."

Hermione laughed. "Oh well. I suppose we'll have to wait and see what happens."

"I'm on the edge of my seat." He commented dryly.

Hermione shook her head before sighing and looking out of the window. "Can you believe it's almost Christmas?"

"Still a month to go."

"I know but the decorations and holiday candy went on sale weeks ago. It makes it feel like it's nearly here."

"What are your plans for the holiday?"

Hermione looked back at him. "I'll probably go and visit my parents for a few days and spend Christmas with them. That's what I usually do. Mum likes baking and cooking enough food to feed a small country and Dad and I watch old Muggle movies on the television. They usually play the same movies every Christmas but it's tradition to watch them over and over again. What about you?"

"Something similar I expect. Only mother doesn't do any cooking and we usually retreat to sunnier climes instead of spending it in England."

"Sunnier climes? But what about the snow! It's the best part of Christmas." She said outraged.

"You mean the ice flakes that fall from the sky and make it impossible to go anywhere?"

Hermione lifted an eyebrow. "You can't be that much of a Grinch. It's snow!"

"A Grinch?"

"Don't worry, I'll send the book to you tonight."

Draco nodded his head.

"So what else do you do during Christmas?" Malfoy asked curiously.

Hermione smiled as the memories of her previous Christmases surfaced. "We spend Christmas Eve decorating the tree. Mum likes to leave it until the last minute so we can do it all together. Then like I said, we usually spend the day baking cakes or pies and watching movies. Mum loves playing rummy so we usually get a few hours of play in. On Christmas day we do the presents in the morning then my parents go to church for mass. That's usually when I go over to the Weasley's and exchange presents with them and Harry. I'll eat lunch with them and then apparate back home where I eat dinner with my parents. By then we're usually all in a food stupor so we sit in front of the telly or play more games. Boxing day is spent lazing around the house."

She saw Draco open his mouth to say something but he hesitated. "What?"

"Are you planning on going to the Weasley's this year?" he asked.

Hermione knew where his question had stemmed from but she decided to answer the one he had asked and not the hidden one.

"Yes. Molly invited me when I last saw her."

There was silence between them for a few moments.

"Did you see the article in the Prophet?"

Hermione looked up. The hidden question now not so much. "I did."

"And?"

"And what? I dumped him because our relationship wasn't working out but I'm happy for Ron. He deserves to find someone else."

Evidently sensing the dampening mood, Draco tried to lift her spirits. He scoffed at her words, "Yeah right you broke off your relationship because it wasn't working out. Don't try to hide it Granger. I know it was because of me." He joked arrogantly.

Hermione looked into his eyes and laughed a split second later. "You Mr Malfoy, think too much of yourself." She told him in the voice of an old schoolmarm.

Draco smiled at her retort and Hermione was glad they had passed the potentially awkward topic so easily.

Their laughter was interrupted when a waitress appeared with their food. Hermione manoeuvred her wine glass to the other side of the table so she had space to unload the steaming dishes from her tray. They looked and smelt amazing.

Draco didn't look so convinced.

"They're not too spicy are they?" he asked as soon as the waitress wasn't in the vicinity anymore. He poked at a dumpling with his fork.

Hermione laughed before she speared the dumpling with her own fork and pushed it onto his plate. "You heard me tell her not to make things too spicy."

"You said the same at the Indian Cauldron." He pointed out.

"Where the chef listened and barely used any chillies in the curry. You're just a wimp." She informed him as she picked up the dishes and spooned food onto his plate, knowing that he would never take it otherwise.

"I am not a wimp." He said indignantly as he looked at the food on his plate suspiciously.

"Try it," Hermione said to him. "You might like it."

Draco made a face which made him look little boy whose mother had just told him he wouldn't be getting ice cream for dessert if he didn't finish his peas.

"I don't see why we couldn't just go back to the French restaurant. We both liked the food there." He said haughtily.

Hermione smiled as she ate her food. "Because I have made it my life's mission to introduce you to as many different foods as possible."

Draco finally spooned some fish into his mouth and though Hermione tried her best not to simply sit there and wait for his verdict, she failed.

"Well?" she asked expectantly.

Draco chewed for a few more moments before swallowing. "It was good."

Hermione smiled victoriously. "See! I told you you'd like it."

Draco let her gloat for a few more minutes before he changed the subject. "Do you realise we only have two these meetings left?"

Hermione took a sip of wine as she smiled. "I know. I'm surprised at how quick this year's gone."

"I agree."

"Do you think the Wizengamot is sitting in their chambers patting themselves on their backs right this moment?"

Draco chuckled. "I wouldn't be surprised."

"Let's propose a toast." Hermione said as she lifted her wine glass. Draco dutifully lifted his.

"To…us." She ended up saying.

Draco's raised eyebrow showed how distinctly unimpressed he was with her toast.

"Okay fine. See if you can do better." Hermione challenged.

Draco accepted and spent a few moments cultivating his words. "To our chronicles."

Hermione would have laughed out loud but the words seemed to fit their situation perfectly. Smiling, she lightly clicked Draco's glass. "To our chronicles."

They each took a sip of wine before getting back to their dinner. The rest of their evening went by very quickly until they finally decided they'd eaten too much food (well in her case anyway) and a walk would be nice. Since it was quite late in the evening and they were so near Muggle London, Hermione managed to coax Draco into a walk along the Thames.

She soon regretted it. He asked questions about everything. The Christmas lights hanging from the lamp posts, the cars driving around, the warm caramelised peanuts she hadn't been able to resist.

Hermione answered his questions as best she could but according to Draco, not well enough. She merely rolled her eyes as he told her in no uncertain terms that considering she was Muggle-born, she wasn't very aware of how her world functioned. He then continued to detail in depth how certain spells in the Wizarding World had been invented and cultivated over time.

Hermione would have told him how arrogant he was being had she not been so fascinated with what he was saying.

After thirty minutes of wandering around, Hermione couldn't help a yawn escaping her mouth. Draco noticed immediately.

"I've kept you out past your bedtime." He said as he smiled.

Hermione smiled an embarrassed smile. She was enjoying Draco's company too much to leave now.

"I'm not tired." She said earnestly.

Draco chuckled. "Why don't I believe you? It's late and we both have to be at work tomorrow. You a lot earlier than me." He pointed reasonably.

Hermione sighed knowing what he was saying was true. If she didn't get home to bed soon she would be dead on her feet tomorrow.

Taking her arm and linking it through his, Draco apparated her home.

ooo

**Chapter 11- A Disjoined December**

Quik-e-note to Draco Malfoy

Hey Draco. I know you're probably already "soaking" up the sun in Australia but I was wondering if I could meet you for a few minutes tomorrow? I need to give you your Christmas present and since tomorrow's Christmas Eve, it'll be the last chance I have. Hermione.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Hermione Granger

Hermione. This is why you plan ahead and give presents early. Like I did. I can be at the café at eleven but due to the time difference I can only stay for a few minutes. Draco

ooo

Quik-e-note to Draco Malfoy

No problem. All I want is to give you your present and that's it. It's not my fault you decided to scarper off to Australia a whole three weeks before Christmas. Hermione.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Hermione Granger

You were well aware of my departing date since I informed you of it on no less than two separate occasions. If all you wish is to give me my present than can you not send it by Owl and save me the trouble of applying for an International Apparating License? Draco.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Draco Malfoy

No Malfoy I cannot simply send your present by Owl. It's nicer to hand presents out in person. Hermione.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Hermione Granger

Granger. Have I ever told you how much more difficult my life has been since you entered it? Draco.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Draco Malfoy

Draco. You've said so numerous times- most memorably during our visit to the Indian Cauldron when steam was coming out of your ears. Hermione.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Hermione Granger

I think you were misplaced in Gryffindor. You should have been in Slytherin. Every else sees you as an innocent little witch- only I know the truth. Draco.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Draco Malfoy

And everyone knows you as a mean old wizard – only I know the truth. Hermione

ooo

Quik-e-note to Hermione Granger

Watch who you're calling old Granger. Malfoy.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Draco Malfoy

Watch who you're calling evil. I have to go- _some _of us can't simply afford to strut off on a three weak holiday to escape the cold. Mr Herman's getting suspicious of all these notes I'm sending you. I'll see you tomorrow yes? Hermione.

ooo

Quik-e-note to Hermione Granger

Yes. Eleven at the cafe. Draco.

ooo

"You've been in Perth for three weeks already. How have you not got a tan? Honestly Draco- has no-one ever told you that some sun is good for you?" Hermione said as Draco walked into the café.

Draco ignored her words as he strolled up to her. "Hello Hermione. How are you? I've been well thank you." He commented dryly as he slipped into his chair opposite hers.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Can you stay for a coffee?" she asked him.

He shook his head. "I have dinner plans in a few minutes."

Hermione pushed the sudden sadness she felt away. Swishing her wand, she enlarged Draco's present and passed it to him over the table.

"Here you go. Merry Chrsitmas." She said as he picked it up and looked over it.

When his hands moved to the spello-tape, she quickly covered his own hand with hers.

"You can't open it yet!" she told him as she moved his hand away.

Draco lifted an eyebrow.

"You have to open it on Christmas day." She told him.

He rolled his eyes but magicked the present away. She eyed him doubtfully.

"You have to promise me." She told him.

"You don't trust me?" he asked in an amused tone.

"Not as far as I can throw you." She retorted in under a second.

Draco smiled devilishly. "My heart bleeds."

This time Hermione rolled her eyes. "You still haven't promised." She said.

Draco exhaled a loud puff of air. "Fine. I Draco Malfoy do so solemnly promise that I will not open your present until tomorrow morning. Satisfied."

Hermione smiled. "Partly. The charm I put on the tape making it impossible for you to open the present until tomorrow gives me more."

Draco shook his head but said nothing.

"I don't want you to be late. You should go." Hermione told him as she stood from her chair.

Draco mimicked her actions before stepping round the table. Hugging her tightly, Hermione found herself breathing in his now familiar scent.

When he pulled away, Hermione felt another pang of sorrow in her chest at the fact that she wouldn't get to see him on Christmas day. With a shake of her head, she pushed the ridiculous feelings away.

"I'll see you when I get back. It'll probably be for the New Year's Eve party." He said.

Hermione nodded her head as she smiled brightly. "I'll see you then." She said.

A small frown appeared on Draco's brow but it smoothed out before Hermione could comment on it.

"See you soon Granger." he said he kissed on her on the cheek one last time.

Hermione smiled. "Bye Malfoy."

ooo

**Chapter 12- A New Year**

Hermione discreetly checked her watch as Harry plied her with another drink. She thanked him before taking a sip of the vividly coloured cocktail.

The tangy taste of raspberry burst onto her tongue quickly followed by the sharp taste of alcohol. Taking another sip, this time a smaller one, she glanced around the room.

"Calm down, you don't have to talk to them if you don't want to." Harry said to her.

She turned to look at him with confused eyes. "Pardon?"

"Ron and Sarah." He explained. "I know you still feel uncomfortable around them so you don't have to spend the entire evening with them."

His words clicked in place in her mind and she shook her head at his wrong conclusion. Opening her mouth to correct him on the fact that she had been looking to see if Draco had arrived yet, not to see if Ron or Sarah had, she simply closed it again when she realised that his words got her out of seeing Ron for more than a few minutes.

Surprisingly, Christmas day was the first time she had seen Ron since their break-up. Her visits to Harry and Ginny's and even to the Burrow to visit Molly seemed to carefully coincide with a time when "Ron had just popped out". It suited her perfectly and whilst Christmas Day hadn't been as horrific as she had worried it would be, it had still been sufficiently awkward.

Not that Sarah hadn't been perfectly lovely. She was nice sweet girl. Unfortunately her nice sweetness had yet to rub off on Ron whose sharp snipes and jabs had meant Hermione had left as soon as the main part of dinner had been served.

Hermione simply smiled at Harry before she turned her head and resumed her watchings. Her eyes landed on Padma and Blaise and she immediately smiled. The dark skinned wizard had his arm around Padma's waist as he whispered something into Padma's ear. He was rewarded with a shake of Padma's head and a light slap on the chest. He accepted the slap as if a butterfly had simply landed on his chest before he leaned back in to whisper something else which caused Padma to blush.

Her eyes landed next on Lucius Malfoy. He was standing alone and as Hermione watched him for a few moments she noticed his frequent glances to his wife who was happily chatting to the other guests. When Hermione flicked her eyes back from Narcissa to Lucius she was startled as the blond haired wizard caught her eye.

For five seconds, the two simply stared at each other before Lucius nodded his head at her and she gave him a quick smile that wobbled at the corners. She then rapidly turned her head away and took another sip of her drink.

Another quick glance at her wrist told her how late it was getting. Where was Draco? She knew he had been invited to a few other parties that he was obligated to attend but he had told her that he would be here by eleven latest. It was now eleven thirty.

"Head's up." Harry commented.

Hermione turned to him and then looked in the direction his gaze was currently at. She took in a deep breath and stood a little straighter as she saw Ron and Sarah. They quickly meandered through the other guests until they made their way to where she and Harry were standing.

"Hey mate." Harry said when they were within hearing distance.

"Hey." Ron replied before turning to face her. He gave her a stiff nod of his head.

"Ronald." She said before she looked at Sarah.

The witch was looking at her with an unsure smile with instantly made Hermione feel bad. "Hi Sarah. How are you?"

The unsure smile turned into a brilliant one. "Hello Hermione. I'm good thank you. And you?"

"Good."

Their brief greeting fizzled out into a tense silence. Deciding she would try and be the better person, Hermione plastered a smile on her face and looked back to Ron.

"How's work going?" she asked him.

Ron looked at her, or it would have better to say he gave her a look. "Fine."

Hermione found herself taking another sip of drink even though she didn't particular want one.

"Molly mentioned you were planning on going away for a few days after New Year's. Anywhere nice?" she tried again.

She directed the question to Ron but when he didn't answer immediately, Sarah filled in for him.

"Ron's taking me to Venice. I'm so excited!" she said as she turned to Ron and hugged him closer to her side.

Hermione had to take in a choked breath. Venice. Italy. She'd always wanted to visit the country and had dropped not so subtle hints at Ron hoping he would take her for their first honeymoon. He'd got the hint a few months too late and she had been unable to book the time of work since it coincided with a colleague's annual leave. The missed holiday had been a sore point for quite some time in their relationship but hearing that Ron was planning on taking another witch on their holiday felt like she'd been hexed in the stomach.

"Sounds great." She managed to say.

Hermione was grateful when Harry wrapped his arm around her waist for a second and gave her a comforting squeeze.

Hermione glanced around the room again as the conversation lulled. No Draco yet. Another glance at her watch. Eleven thirty-seven.

"So mate- where's Ginny? If she's not careful she won't get her midnight kiss with you. They'll be too many other witches forming a shield around you."

Harry laughed but it sounded forced. "She's here somewhere. She promised not to leave me alone for too long."

"And what about you Mione? Got your eye on any wizard or are you going solo?"

Hermione was first startled when she realised Ron was talking to her. She then froze as the snarling words came forth from his mouth. The end of his sentence was met might by a tense silence by the other two members of their party.

Hermione opened her mouth ready to reply when she realised she had nothing to answer with. Ron's bruising gaze pierced her and she felt her heart beginning to beat rapidly.

"Actually Weasley, Hermione's already promised she'll be mine at midnight."

Hermione turned around to face Draco. He didn't look at her as he wrapped his arm around her waist and settled his palm on her hip. His challenged Ron.

"Him?" Ron spat out.

"Mate, don't start this again." Harry said quickly.

"Me." Draco said in a smug tone, purposefully fuelling the fire between the two of them.

"Ron…" Sarah said quietly in a bid to diffuse the tension. Hermione elbowed Draco in the side.

That seemed to catch his attention and he looked down at her. She raised her eyebrows and after a moment, he sighed.

"Come on." He said as he applied pressure to her waist, intending to lead her somewhere else.

She resisted for a few seconds so she could say bye to Harry and Sarah and then she willingly followed him. They were stopped a few times by various witches and wizards with whom Draco spoke to for a short while before moving on.

"Where are we going?" Hermione asked him as she realised he was leading her to the exit.

"The roof." He said simply.

"The roof? Why? It's freezing!"

Draco turned back to look at her before he rolled his eyes. "You seem to always forget the fact that we possess the ability to produce a warming charm."

Hermione rolled her own eyes as he led her though a door.

"Apparate or walk?" he asked as he opened another door which hid a staircase.

Hermione popped her head through the door and looked up. "What do you think?" she asked him sarcastically as she saw the flights of stairs spiralling upwards.

Draco took her hand and apparated them to the roof. The cold wind hit her for two seconds before a bubble of warmth surrounded her.

"Thank you." She told him as she walked over to the railing and looked down at the street below. "How come we're on the roof?" she asked curiously.

"Because I figured you would much rather see the New Year fireworks than be in the room downstairs…and I thought it would piss Weasley off."

Hermione shook her head at his antics but was warmed by his thoughtfulness.

"How much longer is it?" she asked out loud.

"A couple of minutes."

"How was Australia?" she asked him as she turned to face him.

"I had a good break."

"I see you took my advice on getting some sunshine to heart."

"There were more interesting things to do than spend all day on a beach."

Hermione laughed out loud at the mental image of Draco tanning on a beach before it petered off as she realised she was imagining him half naked.

"…Thank you- for what you said to Ron. I know you didn't have to lie and Ron'll probably be even more pissed with me now but I do appreciate it." She said quietly.

Draco didn't say anything for a moment. He looked at her until Hermione began to feel strangely uncomfortable. A lone firework going off not too far away meant she could look away from his gaze without worrying.

The firework seemed to fizzle out before she was ready for it to and she looked back at Draco.

"Who said I was lying?"

Hermione's brow furrowed. He stepped forward and Hermione stopped leaning against the wall and stood straight. "Draco…" she said in a hesitant voice.

Muffled screams and shouts rang up through the floor as the countdown began.

Hermione held her breath as Draco's head leaned down to hers. Oh Merlin- what was he doing? Was he going to kiss her? Was she going to let him?

"Three. Two.-"

"HAPPY NEW YEAR!"

Both Hermione and Draco were startled by the loud shout and the bang of the door opening. Their heads spun to the side as if they'd been caught doing something wrong. As a stream of people ran and skipped through the door, celebrating with excited cries, Hermione tensed up further and took a step back and away from Draco. He himself had already straightened and was staring at the crowd with an indiscernible look on his face.

Hermione swallowed the bundle of nerves in her throat and ignored the sudden thumping of her chest. "Happy New Year." She eventually murmured.

Draco turned his head back to hers. He nodded as he spoke. "Happy New Year."

The fireworks Draco had promised burst in the skies and the two turned away from the crowd to face the coloured skies. The initial display went on for over twenty minutes during which they were only interrupted once by a waiter carrying champagne glasses.

And that was how they spent the hour of their last meeting. Standing side by side in comfortable silence as they contemplated the year to come.

A year that would once again, change their relationship.

* * *

_Author's Note: Hello. Remember me? I'm sorry it's been so long but I hope the update was worth the wait. A huge thank you to an especially lovely reader who not only reviewed pretty much everything I've ever written but each individual chapter too! I hope you liked your sneak peak of this chapter! To everyone else- thank you for reading- make that congratulations for getting to the end- and until next time, Curiositykils._


	48. Second Chances

**Second Chances  
**

**1926 words**

**Rating: K  
**

* * *

Hermione looked over at her beautiful daughter and tears sprung to her eyes. She watched Rose whirl around the dance floor, the candlelight catching her fiery red hair, causing it to sparkle as she looked up lovingly into the eyes of her new husband.

Today was the happiest day of Rose's life and Hermione was so pleased for her only daughter. She was about to start a life long journey with the man she loved and to Hermione's relief, he was a man who loved Rose just as equally if not more so than she did him.

Who knew? Hermione mused idly as she continued to watch the two. When Rose had first bought her son in law home for dinner, she had nearly fainted from the shock of it all. Of all the wizards in the world, that Rose and _he_ had gravitated towards each other seemed momentarily cruel. But she had put a smile on her face, partly for Rose's sake and partly for Ron's sake and she had welcomed Scorpius into her home.

And it had all gone from there…And now they were here.

From beside her she heard Molly sniffing loudly and her smile widened as she heard the noises of her mother wiping her nose and sighing dreamily at the sight the newlyweds made.

As she watched the two waltz around the floor, her eyes caught the pair belonging to the wizard sitting on the opposite end of the room. Unconsciously she sat up straighter in her chair and her happy smile turned into an uneasy one. The first thought in her head was to quickly glance away and make out as if she hadn't caught his eye at all, but something made her keep her gaze glued to his. That was until he raised a blond eyebrow at her. Unsure of the meaning behind the gesture she turned to face Ron, pretending that he had said something to catch her attention.

"They look lovely don't they?" she said to her husband.

His blue eyes, which held a few tears themselves, turned to face her and he smiled before covering her hand with his.

"Rose looks beautiful…just like her mother." He complimented.

Hermione blushed lightly at his words before shaking her head.

"I suppose I should do the honourable thing and ask Scorpius's mother to dance." He said as he prepared to stand.

Hermione took in a breath with a jolt. She tightened her hand around his and willed him to sit back down but he merely gave her a smile, squeezed her hand once before letting go and walking around the room to where the Malfoy family were gathered for the celebrations.

She watched Ron make his way up to Astoria and extend out his hand. She watched Astoria's surprised expression before she flicked a nervous glance Draco's way. A few moments later she watched as Astoria placed her hand in Ron's and allowed him to lead her onto the floor.

Hermione gulped as she watched the two of them adopt the dancer's position and her eyes flicked back to Draco. Instead of his eyes being on the unlikely couple as she had expected them to be, Draco was looking at her dead on and she quickly looked down at her lap.

Mentally she wished fervently that he wouldn't follow Ron's suit but then she admonished herself. What made her think Draco Malfoy would even consider asking her to dance?

Shaking her head to clear her silly thoughts she put the smile back on her face and looked back to the floor. Rose and Scorpius were still twirling around in their own little world and Ron and Astoria were talking quietly with polite smiles on their faces.

Hermione's heart went out to her husband. She knew how hard it had been for him to accept Rose's relationship with Scorpius but he had battled through his insecurities of losing his only daughter to a Malfoy and Hermione had never been so proud of him.

The song quickly came to an end and Hermione joined in with the clapping as everyone congratulated Rose and Scorpius. As the second song struck up, Rose and Scorpius were back in each other's arms before she could blink and she saw Astoria thanking Ron for the dance before they each made their way back to their seats.

She smiled widely at Ron, letting him know how happy she was with his actions before she glanced behind him to where Astoria was taking her own seat. The regal dark haired witch didn't seem too impressed if the look on her face was anything to go by and Hermione watched for a moment as she seemed to admonish her husband in a hushed tone.

Just as she was set to look away from the private moment, Draco turned his head back to look at her and the reason for their argument immediately became clear. Embarrassed, she looked back to Ron and prayed that Draco would ignore his wife's not so subtle hinting on asking her to dance.

"To the woman I promised I would dance all my dances with…may I have this dance?"

Hermione smiled so widely at Ron's whispered words that her cheeks hurt. As she turned to accept his offer, her mind was cast back to her own wonderful wedding and her first dance when Ron had whispered those words into her ear.

"You most certainly may." She flirted as she stood from her seat and walked hand in hand with him to the floor.

She allowed herself to be wrapped up in his familiar arms and she closed her eyes as she let the music take her away. From the scraping of chairs she knew they were being joined by many more couples and she smiled as a voice in her head let her know that tonight would be a night to remember.

"May I cut in?" came a crisp cool voice.

Hermione gasped as she opened her eyes and twisted her head to face Draco. Allowing social pressure to suffocate her throat, she didn't answer. Ron made the decision for her by graciously removing his arms from around and bowing his head. Jokingly telling Draco that he could only have her for one dance, he walked off the floor and back to his seat.

Hermione was left fiddling with the bracelet on her left arm as she looked vaguely in Draco's direction. He was the first to adopt the correct position and Hermione drifted to copy his posture.

She supressed her shivers as his arm moved around to rest on her lower back whilst the other tangled with her fingers. Having no choice, Hermione tilted her head up slightly and met his stormy gaze.

"The wedding was beautiful wasn't it?" she said politely, hoping that conversation would make the dance pass by more quickly.

Only instead of answering Draco merely nodded his head.

Hermione looked back to Scorpius and Rose. "They make a lovely couple don't they?" she asked almost desperately.

"It could have been us."

Hermione gasped out loud at the anger behind his words. His statement rendered her speechless and he continued with a low rumbling voice.

"It _should_ have been us."

Hermione looked around nervously. "No it shouldn't have been." She said quickly.

"Liar."

"Don't." she told him strongly. "This isn't the time or the place to hash up old memories."

"Then tell me the time and the place and I'll be there."

"There isn't a time and a place! I don't want to talk about this."

"Well we don't always get what we want do we?" he said pointedly.

Hermione finally looked back up at him, her smile hiding her tightly clenched teeth.

"You had me Draco. And I wasn't enough for you."

"I asked you to wait for me."

Hermione scoffed. "And how long would you have wanted me to wait? Your family were never going to accept me and you were never going to tell them about me."

She felt his fingers dig uncomfortably into her back as his anger got the better of him.

"I needed more time to figure things out."

Hermione felt her own anger rising. "All the time in the world wouldn't have been enough for you to stand up to your parents. It's been twenty-five years Draco. At least admit _that_ to yourself now."

His audible exhalation through his nose let her know she had won this round at least. But she had failed to account for his caustic tongue that never hesitated to make an appearance.

"It certainly didn't take you very long to find someone to replace me." He sneered down at her.

Hermione refused to rise to the bait. Regardless of Draco's thoughts on the subject, she and Ron had got together nearly a full year after she had said goodbye to Draco.

"There is no point in discussing this further. Marrying Ron was the best decision I could have ever made."

She let the flip side of her words drift between them. That leaving Draco had been the best decision she had ever made.

Hermione watched Draco's lips curl. "I'm sure." He said mockingly. "A life living at the sty his parents call a home compared to what I could have given you."

Hermione whipped her head around to him. "What you could have _given_ me? You would have given me nothing Draco. What I wanted from you would have cost you nothing and you couldn't even give me that."

"You know how much I loved you."

Hermione sighed. "I'm not talking about your love. I'm talking about the one thing any witch wants. For the man she loves to make the world know that she's his…and that he's never letting her go. You hid me in the shadows for too long Draco. I grew tired of waiting."

Hermione felt a pain in her chest as she mentally chalked up another mark in her column. They danced in silence for a few more moments.

"It is not fair."

Hermione closed her eyes at his petulant words. She had thought them herself when she had first seen just who Rose's boyfriend was at that first dinner. She swallowed the lump in her throat.

"Life isn't fair. But it gave us two amazing children that would never have been born if we had still been together. I wouldn't change a single thing about Rose and I'm sure you feel the same about Scorpius."

He didn't respond to that and Hermione felt relief spread throughout her body. They spent a few more moments dancing stoically in silence before Hermione felt his admission against the top of her head.

"I lost you didn't I?"

The grown women in her made her want to refute his comment or suggest that the breaking of their relationship had been both their faults but the eighteen year of girl who'd had her heart broken stopped the words from being spoken.

"They deserve this." Hermione said as she indicated towards their children with her gaze. "They did what we never could." She said as the song came to an end and they stepped away from each other.

"What?"

"They stepped into the sunshine."

And with that she walked away from him without looking back.

Stepping into the comfort of her husband's arms she sighed heavily. His arm rubbed her back comfortably.

"Everything okay?" he asked into her ear quietly.

Hermione opened her eyes and her gaze fell on Draco. "I love you so much." She whispered.

Ron chuckled. "I love you too. Now do I get that dance?"

Hermione's smile returned as she looked up at her husband. "I believe I promised you all my dances."

"That you did Hermione Weasley. That you did."

* * *

_Author's Note: I'm sorry it's been so long and I'm updating with a chapter of this standard. After the last I felt like I couldn't write any better which put me off for a long time. On the plus side, it allowed me to concentrate on Deceit and finally get some chapters up for that fic so every dark cloud has a silver lining! If you have any ideas that you would like me to explore I would most definitely love to hear them. Thank you for reading and until next time, Curiositykils. _


	49. Lessons at Malfoy Manor

**Lessons at Malfoy Manor**

**55,890 words**

**Rating: M  
**

* * *

Malfoy Manor.

Hermione couldn't believe she was about to enter the building again. Well, willingly this time, she thought wryly. During the year she, Harry and Ron had hunted the Horcruxes and had been caught and brought here by the Snatchers, she had desperately tried to will herself away from the grip of the wizard holding her around the neck as she was forced to enter the building.

And yet over the last few years, she had desperately yearned to cross the threshold once again. Craning her head upwards, her fingers stopped their incessant itching to get to work and fell flat.

Had she made a mistake? The chill creeping up her spine told her yes.

Allowing her body to shiver violently, Hermione found herself glancing backwards, half expecting to see someone stood behind her, their finger trailing up her back. Of course there was no-one there. Hermione Granger, you are an addled idiot, she muttered under her breath. Turning back to the vast gates, she followed the iron bars until she was looking up at the overcast sky. At that moment, a shard of sunshine crept out from behind the clouds and blinded her. Quickly looking back down, she took in the sight as the rays bounced off the building's brickwork.

Memories of the Manor and all the evil within it should have been erased from her memory long ago. Or at least she pretended it had in front of her friends. When Ron had turned to Odgen's finest on the first anniversary of Fred's death and the subsequent months afterwards, Hermione had listened to his haunting dreams spewing forth in barely contained sobs. She had listened to Ron's psychiatrist tell him that talking would help and that in time, things would get better.

But Hermione had no-one to talk to. And things had definitely not got better. The nightmares may have become less infrequent but somehow, it was worse when they did rear their ugly head. Months would go by and she would let herself fall into a false sense of security that would be ripped away from her as soon as she closed her eyes for the night.

A cold gust had her shivering once more. As she took in the rusting gates once again, her hand tightened around the handle of her small suitcase. Questions raced through her mind. Would staying here make things worse for her? Would she be able to cope if it did? Was it worth staying? Would everything be fine?

No to the first and Yes Yes Yes to the last three.

A well timed and very welcome voice popped into Hermione's head. By entering the Manor again, her wildest dreams were about to come true. And yes, the outside of the Manor looked…the way it did… but what's to say the famed Malfoy grounds at the rear of the Manor wouldn't be as breath-taking as rumours alleged.

Albino peacocks.

The errant thought entered her head. She distinctly remembered seeing a fleeting albino peacock the last time she had…visited. Her head looked around nervously as she expected to see a carcass lying on the floor right next to her.

Shaking the ridiculous thought out of her head, she straightened her shoulders and looked determinedly through the gate's bars.

A week…just until Christmas. She would surely be finished by then. Seeing Merlin's knows what inside the Manor, hidden away for so many years…she was going to dive head first into the job. Discovering the treasures that the Manor held and cataloguing them was a ground-breaking career move for any antiquarian.

Which begged the question as to why _she_ was the one who had been allowed into the Manor when there were others much more experienced than her? The Master of the Manor had ignored all attempts from offices around the world to allow them into his home. Even her own lone letter. Until now, that is.

Hermione cast her mind back to the day she had posted the letter from her little cubicle at the Ministry. After hearing tales of just how diligently Draco Malfoy had been in avoiding any contact with the outside world, Hermione had been 100% sure her letter, like many others before it, would be discarded without a second look.

Well she had been 99.9% sure. She had been an eager intern when she had sent the letter off and that naïve intern held a smidgen of hope that she would be the one to get through the Manor's gates to see the wonderful antiquities inside.

When she hadn't received any reply after a couple of weeks, she hadn't been so naïve anymore. What she had been was surprised when four years after her original Owl; she had received a response at work informing her that her request had been accepted.

Gobsmacked but delighted, Hermione had skimmed through Malfoy's long list of demands before she'd scribbled her letter of acceptance. She had still been on a high when she'd visited Harry and Ginny later that evening to share her good news. They had both been wary and Hermione had felt a small surge of annoyance at the fact they were dampening her mood. When Harry had asked to see Malfoy's letter, she had handed it over with a childish humph.

Her annoyance had diminished when she'd listened to Harry read out Malfoy's demands, even going so far as to grab the piece of parchment out of his hands so she could read it herself.

He wanted her to _stay_ at the Manor? He had gone on to explain his actions as wanting her to have no distractions whilst she completed her work (as quickly as she possibly could at that) but a chill had spread through her body at the thought of sleeping under the Manor's roof.

The same roof that Malfoy would be sleeping under.

And then there was the condition stating that he was allowing _her_ to enter the Manor and no other. Hermione had worked alone on many projects before, projects that had taken her to far-flung places around the world, but she had never felt such apprehension about beginning a project than as she was currently feeling on this Winter morning in Wiltshire.

In front of Harry and Ginny, she had told them that she could handle it…but when she'd returned home, doubts had begun slithering in.

None more so than Malfoy.

No-one had seen him since his release from Azkaban and Hermione still remembered clapping eyes on him after the Battle at Hogwarts. His father had been looking dazed as he was apprehended by the Aurors. His mother had been sobbing and pleading, scrambling for her husband's arms whilst Malfoy had simply stood there, looking at the scene in front of him with cool eyes.

As if sensing her gaze, he had turned his head sharply. Their eyes had collided for a brief moment, a flash of awareness flashing through his gaze before Hermione had quickly turned her back on him and hurried off to find Ginny.

Her head immediately remembered the whispered words Lavender had excitedly told Parvati late one night in their sixth year. Hermione had been disgusted by what she'd heard and yet she hadn't been able to cast a Silencing Charm around her bed and drift off to sleep. Instead, she listened intently, the tightness in her stomach growing until she'd felt the spot between her thighs become wet and throb uncomfortably.

She had stopped her hands from touching herself, but she hadn't been able to stop herself from grinding her legs together until the uncomfortable ache had been abated. As she'd come down from her high, she'd felt repulsive guilt pool in her stomach. Placing the Silencing Charm around her bed, she'd hidden under the duvet and squeezed her eyes shut.

The pain hadn't been enough to get her mind off the errant thoughts running through it and as she finally drifted off to sleep that night, she'd fallen head first into dreams where she had replaced Lavender in the scenario she had been describing in vivid detail.

It had been _her_ that had been tied to Zabini's bed.

It had been _her_ that had been blind folded.

It had been _her_ being the one tortured by invisible fingers, lips and tongue.

It had been _her_ whose arse had been spanked until it burned against the cool sheets.

When she'd been begging and pleading for more, it had been _her_ that Zabini had entered slowly with his dick.

And when the blindfold had been ripped off her head, it had been _her_ who had been looking into Malfoy's grey eyes.

It had been _her _that had accepted his light touch across her breasts.

And it had been his fingers that she'd accepted as he touched the tiny forbidden hole between her butt cheeks. She'd accepted the pain as he'd breached her slowly with his long, pale finger. And it had been her that had cried out in pleasure as an orgasm had overtaken her, causing her to clench down hard on both Zabini and Malfoy.

She'd woken up then. Groggy, disorientated and distinctly unsatisfied, she'd run into the shower and cooled off. It hadn't helped and when she'd entered the Great Hall for breakfast, she'd tried to dispend her excess energy by berating Ron about something that had seemed important at the time but something she since couldn't quite remember.

Angry, Ron had huffed off and with a bewildered look Harry had quickly followed, leaving her alone at the table. She'd watched them both leave with a miserable frown and when she'd caught sight of Lavender sitting a few metres away, her eyes hadn't been able to stop themselves from turning to the Slytherin table.

Zabini was looking at Lavender, who was chatting away, with a hungry look on his face and Hermione had felt herself grow wet again. Squirming in her seat, she'd flicked her eyes over to the pale head next to Zabini and had frozen. Malfoy was looking right at her and his little smile had curled upwards when the blush had spread across her cheeks. When his eyes had flashed a promise as if to say one day it would be her sandwiched between his and Zabini's bodies, she'd quickly looked away, grabbed her books and walked out of the Great Hall.

His mocking laughter still burned her ears.

Don't think about that, Hermione Granger. It wasn't true. It was all just rumours. And she had just been imagining things. Her over imaginative mind had run rampant.

Shaking her head, she tried to push the thoughts back into the depths of her mind.

She was here to a job and that was it. Maybe Malfoy wasn't even here? Maybe she wouldn't even see a glimpse of him in the time she was here? The Manor certainly looked large enough for them to keep their distance.

Feeling marginally better and realising that she couldn't spend all day standing outside in the cold weather, she stepped forward.

The gates creaked open by themselves and Hermione hurriedly made her way up the long path to the Manor's front door. The overgrown, claustrophobic hedges seemed to whistle in the wind as she passed between them and it wasn't quick enough until she was stood in front of the serpent knocker ready to announce her presence.

Who would be on the other side? The thought drifted into her head and caused her to hesitate again.

The Malfoy family had ruled pureblood society for decades and yet they had faded from most Wizarding folks minds. That is until mothers needed to scare their children into eating their greens or going to bed on time.

Gathering her wits, she repeated the mantra in her head. One week tops, she told herself. Merlin, if she worked flat out she might even be back home in under that. Well, she certainly wouldn't be getting much sleep in this place anyway.

Wrapping her palm around the serpent knocker, she banged it against the door twice before stepping back. She was only kept waiting for a few seconds before the door edged open. When she saw no one at her eye level, she immediately glanced down and came "face to face" with a sharply dressed elf. Her eyebrows disappeared into her hair.

"Oh hello." she said to the small creature. With a click of his fingers, the doors opened fully and Hermione was allowed her first glimpse of her home for the next week.

Another finger trailing up her spine…

"Welcome to Malfoy Manor, Miss Granger." the house elf said.

Hermione tried her best to smile politely as she stepped forward but her eyes still flicked back and forth over the atrium she had just entered. There were many doors around the central area, leading to only Merlin knows where, but the main focus point was the large staircase, shadowed by an enormous crystal chandelier. In the dark space, it was the only source of some much needed light and Hermione was grateful for it.

"Master Malfoy is very happy to offer his home to you." The elf continued as he wrestled her case from her hold and magicked it away with a click of his fingers.

Hermione was left to restrain from scoffing silently at his words as she once again took in the closed doors. Another condition filtered into her head- that she was to remain contained to her personal set of rooms, the Manor's library and a limited set of other rooms in which anything of interest had been moved to. Under no conditions was she to enter any room with a fully closed door.

She had tried her best to ignore her musings on what the rooms behind those closed doors contained. Knowing that any one of them was potentially the one she saw in her nightmares, she was only too glad to stick to the rooms she had been allocated.

She looked down to see the house elf looking at her with a hesitant but narrowed gaze.

"If Miss Granger will follow me please." the elf said as he began walking towards the staircase. "My name is Hamilton."

Hermione followed behind him unsurely. The darkness seemed to worsen as they climbed every step and her hand came to clutch at the hand rail in a comforting gesture. After a few moments she began to smell lemons and when she removed her fingers from the banister and rubbed them together, she realised the citrus scent was emitting from her hand. Her eyebrows rose as she realised that the rail had been cleaned recently.

In preparation of her arrival?

She glanced around the rest of the atrium and spotted the dark corners and the silvery cobwebs shining in the sparse light.

Then again, maybe not.

Silently and keeping her hands firmly to herself, she followed Hamilton.

"Hamilton hopes you have a…nice stay at Malfoy Manor."

His brief silence caused her to pause momentarily but she kept the polite smile on her face.

After a few more moments of climbing, Hermione followed Hamilton as he veered off into a corridor. It was only lit by a few intermittent candles and she could make out spaces on the walls where the wallpaper was lighter than the rest. It was evident that until recently, they had been home to portraits of several Malfoy family members.

Hermione gulped as she picked up the faint scent of musk normally accompanied by rooms that had long since been closed. Hoping that her rooms had windows which could be fully opened despite the cold air, she followed Hamilton nervously.

He came to a stop half way down the corridor and turned to face her. "These are your rooms. Master Malfoy chose them himself."

The tone of Hamilton's voice was so that any doubts she had might have been having about her stay would be erased but Hermione was now even more hesitant of what the closed doors would hold. She could still leave, she told herself firmly. Just because she had crossed the threshold didn't mean she had to stay here. No-one at work would blame her for leaving.

"The Manor's library is on the floor below us. The same corridor also contains the rooms Master Malfoy has allocated for Miss Granger's use." Hamilton said before petering off. He took a second to bolster himself up and Hermione prepared herself for whatever he was about to say. "Master Malfoy asked Hamilton to remind Miss Granger about the agreement she signed. If she were to break any of the conditions…there would be consequences."

Hermione shivered at the threat.

"Meals will either be delivered to Miss Granger's room in the evening or any of the other rooms if she is still working."

"I won't be eating with Mast- sorry Malfoy?" Hermione questioned.

Hamilton shook his head. "Master Malfoy takes his meals alone in the main dining room. It is a room Master Malfoy has not given Miss Granger permission to enter." Hamilton reminded.

Hermione smiled at him before asking the question that had been dogging her. "Is Mr Malfoy going to be joining me at any time during my stay?"

Please say no, she thought desperately.

"Hamilton is unsure." He said and Hermione instantly knew from the way he refused to hold her gaze that he was lying. "Master Malfoy is a very private man. This is why Miss Granger has been allocated specific rooms for her stay."

"If he doesn't like intrusions then why did he allow me to come here?" Hermione asked, a small frown marring her forehead.

Another hesitation. Hermione knew he knew the answer and wasn't going to tell her the full truth. Evidently not wishing to lie to her, the words seemed to blurt out of the small elf's mouth. "Master Malfoy said it was time."

"…Time for what?" Hermione asked softly.

"Hamilton must go. If Miss Granger requires assistance please call out Hamilton's name and I will come. Lunch will be served at noon at a room of Miss Granger's choosing." And with one last cryptic look and a click of his fingers, the small house elf disappeared to another part of the Manor.

Hermione was left standing alone in the gloomy corridor and she felt another shiver run up her spine. At the distant sound of a door banging shut, she jumped and held her breath for a few moments. In the aftermath of silence, she quickly turned on the spot and twisted the handle to her set of rooms.

The amount of sun shining through the large windows nearly blinded her as her eyes struggled to accustom themselves to the difference in light. When she could make out the room without her squinting eyes leaking tears, she was stunned still. The gloominess of the corridor was the complete opposite to the interior of the room. The air smelt clean and fresh and the views from her window weren't of the overgrown hedges she had passed on the way in, but of those glorious grounds she had hoped for.

Walking over to the huge bay windows for a closer look, she passed a colossal bed, the white oak it was made out of glinting orange in the sun's rays. A quick peek around made her aware that her suite was probably as big as, if not bigger, than her entire cottage. The bathroom looked scrubbed and clean, the faint smell of lemons once again hanging in the air.

The bath tub looked inviting but Hermione wanted to get more settled in before she used it. First things first, she needed to unpack her suitcase and fire off a Quik-e-note to her boss to let him know she had arrived safely. And then she should wander over to the library and the other rooms to take a cursory look at what she would be studying over the next week.

Only as she glanced over to the bed again, she felt a bone deep tiredness take over her. Shaking her entire body in a bid to get rid of the feeling, Hermione walked over to her suitcase and began removing her belongings. It didn't take more than five minutes to remove and put away her few pairs of jeans, T-shirts and jumpers along with a few pairs of underwear and socks.

Sitting on the bed to write the note to her boss, she sighed deeply. Her eyes began to drift shut as she penned with the ink.

ooo

_Hermione squirmed against the ties binding her to the headboard. The lower half of her body lifted from the satin sheets, blindly searching for the fingers that had just a second ago, been touching and stroking her. _

"_Oh please." She moaned out loud, her head thrashing from one side to the other. _

_A low chuckle echoed around the room before it stopped. _

_A few long seconds of silence and then her cry pierced the still air as his mouth clamped around her nipple. _

"_Oh." _

"_Do you know how long I've waited to have you sweetheart? How hard it was to stay away from you?" _

"_Malfoy please!" Hermione begged. _

_She pushed her throbbing clit against his body but the light rubbing against the thigh he had lodged between her legs wasn't enough. She needed more. _

"_I knew you would run from me. I knew you were too innocent. But I waited. I'm not waiting anymore Hermione."_

"_Please." She cried out in desperation, barely hearing his words over the pounding in her ears. _

"_It's time to make you mine." _

ooo

Hermione woke and her mind immediately began trying to remember the dream she had just had. Fringes of it still brushed against her memory, teasing her and disorientating her. A squirming feeling in her stomach told her something wasn't quite right and when she wiped the drowsiness from her eyes, she realised where she was.

Slumping back down on the pillow, she groaned mentally as she realised the light shining over her was from the moon and not the sun. How long had she been asleep? And how had she got under the covers?

Reaching for her wand told her it was quarter to eight in the evening. What a great way to start the first day on the job Hermione, she berated herself. She'd slept the afternoon away!

She still had a few hours before the day could be considered utterly wasted. With a new surge of energy, Hermione swung her legs off the bed and simply sat there for a moment. Her stomach let out a loud gurgle reminding her that she had been too nervous to eat a decent breakfast or lunch earlier on in the day. She was also an early dinner eater. Remembering Hamilton's words about needing him for things like dinner she debated on calling him. She wasn't used to depending on others for things she could do herself, especially something as simple as making a sandwich.

Surely it wouldn't be difficult to find the kitchen and whip up something herself. At least this way she wouldn't need to bother anyone. Making up her mind, Hermione wriggled her toes into her trainers and set off on her mini quest. Her confidence grew subdued as soon as she stepped out of her room. The Manor seemed disturbingly quiet…and suddenly very large for only three beings to live in it. The candles that were previously lit along the wall were still providing a flickering light but now that Hermione was alone, the shadows seemed to be creeping up the walls.

She fortified herself. If she was going to be spending the next week here she would need to get used to the dim light. Walking with small footsteps towards the direction of the staircase, she kept her ears strained for any noises that might indicate Hamilton or Malfoy's presence. The kitchen hadn't been on her list of approved rooms but it was the kitchen! Surely she would be allowed to enter it?

Coming across the staircase a small while later, she quickly descended it with a light skip before coming to a halt at the bottom. The doors she had seen earlier were all still closed. She knew that in many old pureblood houses, the kitchens were relegated to the back of the house or the lower levels but how did she find her way there?

Walking over to the door that was furthest from the front entrance, she paused outside it momentarily before reaching out to the doorknob. A loud wailing blared from above her before she could even make contact with it. Jumping at the noise, Hermione whirled around frantically, her heart thumping in her throat as she searched for a way to make the alarm stop. Over the deafening noise, she heard a door slam. Oh Merlin, this was not the way she wanted to bump into Malfoy again.

Hermione jolted again when the alarm suddenly stopped. She turned back to face the door, eyes going over it as she tried to find out how the alarm had ended. Hamilton apparated to her side, a worried look on his face as he looked up at her.

"Hamilton told Miss Granger that she was not to enter any room apart from her own."

Hermione bit her lip as she remembered the sound of the door in the distance. "I'm sorry; I was just looking for the kitchens." she tried to explain.

Hamilton gave her a look that made her feel like a naughty child before he wrung his fingers together anxiously. "Miss Granger should have called for Hamilton." she was told sternly.

"I didn't want to disturb you."

"Master Malfoy will not be happy. Hamilton doesn't know what he will do." The last sentence was muttered quietly but Hermione's ears heard the words and she held her breath.

"What do you mean you don't know what he will do?" she asked sharply; panic making its way into her voice. "He won't punish you will he? It was my fault!"

Hamilton looked at her abruptly before shaking his head. "Master Malfoy would never hurt Hamilton."

Hermione breathed out a sigh of relief but before she could question Hamilton further, a short ringing ran over the Manor.

"Miss Granger must go back to her rooms." Hamilton said, his hands already beginning to push on the back of her knees, leaving her helpless but to move. "Master Draco is calling."

That got her legs moving of their own accord. She had just stepped onto the first step on the staircase when there was another short ringing. Hermione heard Hamilton take an intake of breath before she felt a pull in her stomach that had nothing to do with hunger. The next time she opened her eyes, she was back on her white bed. Taking in a deep breath to counteract the nausea she was feeling, she immediately scrambled off the bed and headed towards the door.

Common sense kicked in and she paused. Merlin- what was she doing? Malfoy had made his list of demands perfectly clear. She couldn't believe she was going to be, in all effect, sacked from her job because she had gone to make a sandwich! What was her boss going to say? She couldn't believe she had been so stupid.

Sighing deeply and banging her head once against the door, she turned around and walked over to the suitcase she had placed under the bed. She pulled it out but didn't repack it yet, a smidgeon of desperate hope burning in her chest in that she would be allowed to stay.

A knock on her door caused Hermione to wipe her palms on her jeans before she opened it. Hamilton stood there with a tray holding a bowl of tomato soup accompanied by grilled cheese sandwiches.

Hermione could scarcely believe her eyes. "Malfoy's letting me stay?" she asked disbelievingly.

Hamilton nodded as he walked into the room and placed her dinner tray on the side table.

"Master knows how curious Miss Granger can be."

Hermione's eyebrows furrowed at the statement as shock flowed through her. _He did?_

She hesitated. "And there won't be any consequences?"

Hamilton looked at her with wide eyes. "Hamilton is unsure."

He was lying again and Hermione swallowed nervously.

"Hamilton will leave Miss Granger to eat her dinner. I trust Miss Granger will not enter any room she is not allowed to enter?"

Hermione shook her head quickly and Hamilton disapparated. Suddenly not feeling so hungry anymore, Hermione managed to eat half the soup and she nibbled on the cheese filling of the sandwiches.

Deciding an early night would be best if she wanted to get a fresh start the next morning, she found herself propped up in bed not half an hour later. She pulled out the book she had brought with her and snuggled under the covers as she read in a bid to settle her racing mind.

Twenty-three minutes later, the book fell from her unconscious fingers and she slumped down on the pillows.

ooo

"_You were a naughty girl Hermione. You disobeyed my orders." _

"_No." she moaned. She was spread out over his legs, her bare arse open to the cool air as he twirled light patterns on her skin with the tip of his finger. _

"_And you have to be punished." _

"_Malfoy." _

"_It will sting sweet. But you'll accept it. You'll accept the pain I give you…and before I've finished, you'll be begging me to fill your pussy." _

_Hermione shivered at his dark promise spoken so softly. She should have been sickened at his words and a shadow of fear did tremble through her body. But pleasure overrode it. She could already feel her juices gathering between her thighs. _

_The first slap was unexpected and she cried out, more out of surprise than pain. It was quickly followed by another, causing her to moan out loud. _

"_Do I need to gag you sweetheart?" _

_Keeping her mouth shut, she shook her head violently. _

_Another slap and she whimpered out loud at the sting. Malfoy chuckled. "You shouldn't have tried to enter that room Hermione." _

"_I'm sorry." She cried out at the same moment her arse rose off his lap, seeking his touch. _

_When she next felt his hands on her, she jerked in surprise at the soft stroke. _

"_Oh Hermione, you should see how pretty your arse blushes for me." _

"_Malfoy please. More." _

_Another chuckle. He edged her legs apart and Hermione felt the cold air hitting her heated clit. The new destination of his slap caused her to spasm as the touch caused fired nerves to course up her body. _

_Malfoy held her tightly in place. "Easy sweetheart…we have all night."_

**ooooo**

The next morning Hermione woke feeling refreshed. The fireplace had been kept on a low flame throughout the entire night and the room felt toasty and warm. Stretching out her entire body until her back popped and bending her toes until they clicked, Hermione sighed contently. Today was a brand new day and she was going to pretend that the mini disaster of yesterday had not occurred.

Her fingers were once again itching to get to work. Glancing at the clock, she saw that it was only seven seventeen. Having no knowledge over Malfoy's daily routine, she was hesitant to call Hamilton for breakfast. Oh well- she wasn't too hungry funnily enough. She could easily sustain herself for another hour until it was a more reasonable time.

Making quick work in the bathroom since she decided to forgo a shower knowing she would probably be covered in a layer of dust this evening, she was ready in a fresh pair of jeans and a jumper in less than ten minutes.

Carefully stepping out of her room and all but tip-toeing down the corridor, she made her way to the floor below her bedroom. The corridor that potentially held the library and her rooms was lit with more candles than she had seen on her short walk to the area. She looked over the doors, noticing that some had been left a few inches open. At the end of the corridor stood two large wooden doors and Hermione's innate book senses started going haywire. That was definitely the library. But then why hadn't it been left open like the other doors?

Deciding not to risk it, Hermione instead decided to wait until she could ask Hamilton to clarify the room when he brought her her breakfast. Making her way to the first open door, she pushed it open uneasily. When the blaring alarm didn't go off, Hermione stepped inside. Her wide eyes took in the room. Every possible surface was covered with a variety of no doubt priceless objects whilst the walls held valuable paintings in even more valuable frames.

Merlin, Hermione breathed out in shock. If this is what the first room contained than only Merlin knew what the others did? And that didn't even take into account what the library held. She was most definitely going to be here for a while. With a happy smile on her face at the thought of what she was going to discover, she walked over to the large ornamental vase that stood to the side of the room and got to work.

ooo

She was so engrossed in her work that an hour later, she only noticed Hamilton's presence when she smelt the appetising smells coming from the tray he was carrying. Smiling, she made her way over to him.

"Good morning." She said.

He bowed his head. "Good morning Miss Granger. Did you have a good night?" His gaze looked over her from top to bottom worriedly.

Hermione ignored the strange scrutiny. "It was wonderful." She replied as her hands outstretched to show she was fine. "Something smells great." She said as she indicated to the tray with her hand.

Hamilton magicked away the plate covers and Hermione saw a traditional English breakfast accompanied by the continental version of pastries and fresh fruit. Usually managing to scarf a bowl of cereal down when at home, Hermione felt like Christmas had come early as she saw the food. She would have to be careful or she would weigh a stone heavier by the time she left.

"Miss Granger did not call Hamilton for breakfast so Hamilton thought he should go looking for Miss Granger."

"I was up early and wasn't sure when breakfast was usually eaten." Hermione confessed.

Hamilton gave her a frustrated look. "Miss Granger must call for Hamilton whenever she requires anything. It is Master's orders. And Master doesn't like anyone disobeying his orders."

Something tingled in her memory and Hermione frowned. Trying to follow the thought, it only made it retreat all the faster.

"Miss Granger?" Hamilton asked in an anxious tone.

Hermione shook her head. "Maybe you could tell me when Malfoy eats breakfast and then that way you wouldn't need to cook both of ours separately?"

Hamilton looked aghast at her solution. "Hamilton is proud to serve Miss Granger. He will cook breakfast at a time of her choosing."

Hermione hesitated at now having to guess at what time Malfoy woke in the mornings. Taking a wild guess but keeping her eyes firmly on Hamilton's expression to see if he gave anything away, Hermione told him that she wouldn't mind eating around this time.

Hamilton's face gave nothing away as he spoke. "Miss Granger is already up and working. It is not good to begin the day without eating. Hamilton will prepare your morning meal for seven thirty."

Hermione smiled, satisfied with his answer. "Is that the time Malfoy eats?" she teased.

She was graced with a smile before Hamilton turned and began walking out of the room. Just when he was about to cross the threshold he called back. "Master Malfoy is an early riser. He breaks his fast at six thirty every morning."

Hermione was left so stunned that she forgot to ask Hamilton about the library. As she munched on her own breakfast, she looked over the grounds she could see from the window. She was watching a group of birds fluttering around the top of a tree when a moving object caught her eye. Hermione froze as she made out a darkly dressed figure in the distance.

Malfoy, she whispered out loud.

He was too far away for her to make out his face, especially since he was turned away from her but she instinctively knew it was him. She watched him come to a pause in the middle of the winding path and simply stand still.

Watching him stood there amongst the dewy grounds, Hermione felt like she was intruding on a private moment but she couldn't bring herself to look away. She realised numbly that she was possibly the first person to see Malfoy in years. In the early days after his release from prison, the Prophet had spent weeks fixating their headlines on getting a picture of Draco Malfoy. Rumours had been abound that he had been harmed in some way during his sentence in Azkaban and everyone wanted to know how…or more importantly to their cruel minds, where? But Malfoy had remained elusive as ever and slowly the headlines had slipped off the pages. His story…He himself…had turned into myth.

What was his life like? What kind of life did he even lead? One that was hidden behind the overgrown foreboding bushes surrounding a cast iron gate that seemed welded shut it seemed.

Why had he let her in?

Hermione cleared her head of the endless questions and returned her concentration to Malfoy's stark figure. She watched him begin to move off down the path again, without a cane or any noticeable limp she noticed, before he stopped abruptly. His head came whipping round and his gaze zeroed in on the window she was stood behind.

Hermione gasped as she scrambled to move the tray away from her. As she tucked herself away behind a thick red curtain, her heart continued to thump erratically. She waited with a held breath as she counted out the seconds.

When she reached ten, she unclenched her hands and slowly peeked back out of the window. Malfoy had disappeared from her view and she rubbed her stomach with her hand. Suddenly she seemed too unsettled to eat and she moved the tray to the far end of the room.

Still feeling somewhat jumpy, she floundered for a few seconds before wiping her palms against her jeans and heading back to the table she had been working at. For the first time in her career, the possibility of investigating various treasures didn't hold her complete attention.

ooo

Hours passed and Hermione didn't get as much work done as she'd hoped. The Manor seemed to creak and groan whilst the sudden onslaught of rain lashing against the windows didn't seem to help matters.

As the room grew appallingly dark, Hermione took matters into her own hands. With a quick flick of her wand, the dimly burning candles on the walls flared to life.

Their light created a cosy atmosphere that she doubted she would find anywhere else in the Manor.

ooo

By late evening, Hermione's neck was complaining in the form of pangs at being constantly kept in a bent position. Cracking it to the side in the hope of relieving the tension, Hermione sighed as the old pain was replaced by a sharp new one. That's the end of today, she told herself or more like her body told her. Wiggling her bare toes, her sneakers and socks long since being discarded, she bent and cracked them until they were soothed before standing to gather her belongings.

The sky was already turning a dark blue as she extinguished the flames and moved out of the room. Her eyes caught sight of the closed doors of the library. Debating on whether she should enter and find something new to read in order to pass the time away, she was already heading towards the library before she'd finished asking the question in her head.

As she pushed open the doors, her favourite smell in the entire world hit her hard. Breathing in deeply she sighed in repletion. The smell of old books. It would never grow old. Taking a hesitant step to enter the pitch black room, she flicked her wand in the hope that there were some candles nearby that would light.

She was struck dumb when they did. Head spinning as the giddiness swept over her body, she rocked forward on her toes. It was huge! Breathing in the musty, comforting scent happily, Hermione stepped forward with more confidence. The tall aisles of books seemed to stretch as far as she could make out in the flickering light. Each aisle brought glorious thick leather bound books on every subject matter she could think of. By the time she reached the "D" aisle, she realised she had probably spent forty five minutes simply wondering through the tomes.

The quiet stillness of the vast room suddenly seemed to sweep in and shroud her in darkness. Shivering lightly, she immediately blamed the cold weather as she rubbed the goose pimples that had popped up on her arms. As much as she wanted to spend the next few hours wondering amongst the books, she bit her lip as she realised how dark it had grown.

Maybe she should find her book and leave for her bedroom? Indecision plagued her mind as she took in the aisles. A compromise was needed she decided. She would look over the next two aisles and then she would leave. Feeling pleased at herself for compromising so efficiently, she continued on with her drifting.

She spent another half an hour looking over the next two aisles, not wanting to leave her idea of heaven. As she took in the titles of the books in aisle F with fresh eyes, eagerly searching for a book that she simply wouldn't be able to wait to look through, the small hairs on her nape began to rise.

With a gut feeling that someone was looking at her, she quickly turned around. She was at the end of the aisle and what little she could see of the library seemed empty. And yet the feeling didn't go away. The fingers on her right hand, that had just moments before been trailing along the letterings of the spines she had passed, grew into a tight fist as she clenched her wand tightly.

Stepping forward slowly, one quiet step at a time, her heart seemed to be beating too loudly for her liking. Merlin, it was pounding in her ears. Swiping her tongue over her dry lips, she took in a fortifying breath before stepping out of the aisle.

Nothing. In the trail of lit candles that eventually led back to the door, she could make out no figure. House elf…or otherwise.

Feeling disjointed, her fingers reached behind her and quickly snagged the first book she felt from its place on the shelf. Hugging it to her chest tightly, Hermione moved towards the lit up entrance with fast steps, extinguishing the candles as she walked past them.

The sound of a book snapping shut caused her to halt. The tingles at her nape grew as she turned around unsteadily, not quite knowing what she would see. Peering into the darkness, her strained ears didn't pick up any noise.

Swallowing tightly, she quickly turned and headed once again for the exit. How could Hamilton bear to live here? In this darkness? The Manor was categorically creepy with its invisible eyes and strange noises. Merlin- Malfoy had in effect traded in one prison for another in this old mansion. How did he stay sane?

Hermione took in a sharp breath as a thought occurred to her. Was he still sane? The thought resonated around her head. Was that his injury? Had Azkaban turned him into a madman as she once remembered Sirius telling her happened to nearly every witch or wizard who spent time there? It certainly explained why he never left the Manor.

An uncomfortable feeling spread up from her legs, over her stomach, up her spine and curled around her throat.

She was nearly there, she thought as the doors got closer. Only six more candles to go and she would be out of the library. Maybe she would place the library as a no-go zone when evening fell in the future. Her imagination was running rampant.

Four more candles.

There was another sound behind her and Hermione could no longer believe that she had imagined the first noise.

Stopping, she turned around. "Hello?" There was no answer. "Is anyone there?"

Oh please let no-one be there.

The few candles that were still flickering fizzled out and left her breathing loudly in the dark. She gave up believing the idea that it was Hamilton in the room with her and she began backing away slowly.

"Malfoy?" Her voice came out shakier than she had hoped. When there was no answer, panic began gripping her insides and clamouring up her chest.

Skidding as she turned rapidly on her feet, she ran towards where she thought the door was. As she reached the opposite wall, she ran frantic hands over it in a bid to find the door's handle.

The sound of approaching footsteps made her desperately wish that the wall was similar to the one at Kings Cross so she could simply fall through it and appear safely on the other side.

Her mind kicked into gear and she grasped her wand and tried to apparate away. She felt a stirring in her lower stomach, the beginning of what promised to be an apparition tug, but it diminished before it had a chance to grow and take hold. She had been blocked from apparating out of the Manor!

With wide eyes she peered into the darkness, still panting as she tried to find the door. The footsteps got louder and closer. There was no means of escape and she simply turned back to accept her fate.

She felt the heat of another body in front of her instead of seeing it. She felt the brush of soft velvet robes against the back of her hands and she cringed, retreating further backwards until her back dug into the wall painfully.

"Malfoy?" she whispered.

"Hello sweetheart."

His drawl pulled at something in her stomach and she rebelled, confused at her feelings to the sound of his voice.

"I'm not your sweetheart." Were the first words to come out of her mouth.

She couldn't see his smile but she had no doubt one was curling at his lips.

When he didn't reply, she asked her next question. "W-what are you doing in here?" she asked nervously as she tried to shift along the wall and away from him. A hand smacking into the wall next to her head stopped that movement.

"It's _my_ library sweetheart." He said as he boxed her in. Hermione could feel his breath hitting her face but she still couldn't see him! "I believe the more important question is what you're doing in here."

Hermione straightened her shoulders at the endearment and the question. "Hamilton said I was allowed to enter the library…And no alarm went off!" she said defensively.

"Hmmm. Unlike yesterday."

"…Yesterday was a mistake. I was hungry and I didn't want to disturb Hamilton."

"Didn't Hamilton make it clear to you that he was at your disposal?"

Hermione shook her head at his wrong assumption. "No! He did! I'm just not used to relying on someone else to do something I can do myself."

"Such obstinacy." Hermione heard him mutter under his breath. When she was about to defend her character, she heard him speak again in the same tone. "I'll enjoy that."

"Excuse me?" Hermione asked loudly, not believing what she had just heard.

"What do you think of the library?" he asked in a soft tone.

Hermione's head reeled at the change in conversation and she couldn't reply.

"Granger." He said warningly.

"What?" she said breathlessly.

"Answer my question."

She swallowed. "It's nice." She managed to choke out.

Sudden tension seemed to crackle in the air and Hermione realised it was anger when she heard Malfoy's tightly drawn in breath. He pushed closer to her and she squeaked, her hands coming out to blindly push him away from her.

"Malf-"

"Nice?" he growled. "I've spent _years_ building this for you." He breathed out hotly against her ear.

Hermione froze in her pushing for a moment before she started again. "What? What are you talking about? Move back will you. You only knew I was coming two weeks ago."

She took in a desperate breath as Malfoy pushed his body into hers. His fingers came to grip her chin and lift it. Her adjusted eyes could just about make out the harsh, shadowed lines of his face.

"I knew years ago that you'd _come_ for me."

Hermione stiffened at the double entendre. For a brief moment she stood still, stunned at his words, before the unease ran back over her. She wrenched her chin out of his grasp by turning her head to the side. He simply dipped his head into the curve of her neck, his lips millimetres away from her ear.

"Stop. Get away from me." Fear mingled in with the panic as she felt the thick, hard outline of his erection stir against her stomach.

She gasped inwards and bucked when he ground against her, a helpless rumble emitting from him.

"No!"

"Yes." He said in her ear.

"S-stop."

He didn't.

"I won't let you deny yourself any longer. I was willing to wait but not anymore. You're stubborn sweetheart. And you won't give in until I take you."

"Take me? Get off me!" Her yell echoed around the hollow room.

He stopped his grinding and moved his head back. But she still couldn't bloody see his face!

"Stop."

"I have stopped." He pointed out.

Hermione wet her dry lips. "Light the candles again."

"Is that what you really want? Are you ready to look into my eyes and admit what you really want?"

"I don't want this! Light the candles!"

"Very well."

The candle nearest to them flicked to life and Hermione's wide eyes took in Malfoy's face. Her gaze immediately fixated on the scars crisscrossing over his right cheek.

"Does it scare you Granger?"

"…Yes." She whispered hoarsely.

Malfoy stepped forward again and she swung her head back so fast it smacked into the stone wall behind her. Malfoy's presence meant she couldn't even bring her hands up at the brief flare of pain.

But she didn't need to. His hand reached out and curled into her hair, instantly finding the sore spot and rubbing it soothingly.

"I don't think you're telling me the truth sweetheart."

"W-what?" Hermione's eyes began to blur as she gave into the massaging of her scalp.

"I don't think you're scared of my scars. I think you're scared of me." His hand stopped rubbing and cupping her head with a large pale hand, Hermione's face was tilted until she had no choice but to look Malfoy straight in the eyes.

"I think you're scared of what I can give you. The pleasure I've waited years to give you."

"You'll hurt me." Hermione breathed out unconsciously. When the words were out of her mouth, she wanted to desperately snatch them back.

"Pain can sometimes enhance pleasure." He said as he rubbed the thumb of his other hand over her lower lip. "But I would never cross the line…not with you. I would… coax you into things that would no doubt mortify your innocent sensibilities. I would coax you to see what you like. How much you can take… but I promise you, you'll enjoy it all."

Hermione simply stared at him, not daring to move.

"Have you dreamed about me sweetheart? Have you dreamed about being in my bed? About being tied to my bed? Have you dreamed of me fucking you until you couldn't move? Have you dreamed about me plunging my cock in your tight, sweet arse?"

"No." she denied breathlessly. She felt the lips of her pussy swell and seep.

Malfoy chuckled as if he knew this and despite her knowing that she had only heard him laugh once, that day in the Great Hall, Hermione felt her stomach stir at the strangely familiar sound.

"Little liar. You'll be begging me to take you. And I will. I'll make you all mine."

"I don't belong to you! I belong to myself!"

"You belong to me!" he said harshly.

Hermione flinched at the sound…and the words. Before she could stop him, his mouth touched hers. She braced herself for a demanding kiss, but he licked and sipped his apology into her. When she felt herself breaking and giving in, he sensed it too. His tongue pushed forwards, forcing her tongue to play with his until she couldn't breathe anymore. Only then did he pull back.

Her eyes were clenched shut. Oh Merlin- what was she doing? She shouldn't be doing this? Not with Malfoy…not with anyone!

"I- I can't… I can't be who you want."

"Yes, you can. I want you to be you sweetheart- not anyone else. You've wanted this for years. Ever since I fucked Brown."

Hermione's eyes popped open. "…You…or We?"

Malfoy smiled. "I see you heard the rumours. Did you believe them sweet?"

Hermione nodded hesitantly.

"Did you wish it had been you?" he asked sensually.

Hermione bit her lip to stop her answer escaping. When she was sure she could control her mouth she spoke, "Were they true?"

"The question you should be asking is whether you wanted them to be."

Hermione didn't know how to reply to that and her indecision must have shown on her face as Malfoy pushed himself away from her. She leaned heavily against the wall, her legs shaking and letting her know how much she had been relying on him to keep her propped up when she would have otherwise dripped to the floor.

"We've done enough for today."

They had?

"Go back to your room. Eat your dinner and get some sleep." He ordered firmly.

In her dazed mind she realised he was offering her a reprieve and she took it with both hands. Not looking back, she picked up the book she had dropped on the floor and hurried from the room.

"Until tonight sweetheart."

Hearing the quiet promise, Hermione turned back to the library. The doors were closed and she shivered.

She needed to get back to her room sharpish…and once she was safely cocooned inside, she needed to place every charm she knew on the door that would keep Malfoy out.

ooo

After she managed to get her heart beating to a normal rhythm, Hermione slumped against the charmed door. Breathing in and out, she walked into her bathroom. Shedding her clothes, she headed straight for the shower; the warm spray both comforting and cleansing her.

Turning her face to the jet, she closed her eyes and her mind began running again.

What had just happened? What should she do? She should leave…she should definitely leave. But what about the work she had come here to do? What in Merlin's name had just happened in the library?

She trembled as she remembered Malfoy's words and she turned the knob to turn the spray warmer. The sting of warm water didn't help. His words refused to subside and they played on a loop inside her head. Tugging at her wet hair, Hermione groaned out.

No! She absolutely didn't want anything that Malfoy was offering her. She was normal! She liked normal sex!

_Then why doesn't it leave you satisfied?_ The dark voice spoke in her mind and Hermione clenched her teeth. She'd had perfectly nice orgasms over the last few years. They were perfectly nice, damn it!

The dark voice scoffed. Nice? Orgasms should leave your body feeling boneless and your mind dazed. Not itching to get in the shower and already thinking about the shopping list tacked onto the fridge door.

Hermione sighed. The last time she'd been in a relationship had been over a year ago. And despite the meh sex, she missed it. Regardless of what Harry and Ron thought…or even possibly what Malfoy thought- she wasn't some virginal witch with no sexual needs.

So why not give in?

Because she wasn't depraved for Merlin's sake! Hermione, she told herself sternly, stop thinking about this. It was not an option for her. She would inform Malfoy that she declined his… invitation… and if he couldn't take no for an answer then she would leave.

Hopefully, he took no for an answer.

ooo

Hamilton appeared at her door with her dinner tray thirty minutes after she had come out of the shower. She closed the book from the library she'd been reading (who knew the origins of the Felix Felicis potion could be so interesting?) and climbed off the bed before walking over to him.

She watched him busy himself by removing the plate covers and pouring her a glass of juice.

"I saw Malfoy in the library!" she blurted out.

Hamilton briefly paused in his actions, finished pouring her glass with a slightly unsteady hands before turning to look at her. Like he had before, he looked her over from top to bottom with an anxious expression.

"How did Miss Granger…find Master Malfoy?" It was evident Hamilton had no idea what to say to her outburst and Hermione felt her own embarrassment bubble in her stomach.

"He was…" Hermione petered off, not knowing what to say. How to describe Malfoy?

Intense.

That was the word that popped into her mind but there was no way she was saying that in front of Hamilton.

"Master Malfoy hasn't had company for many years since he left Azkaban. He can sometimes be…blunt."

Hermione smiled wryly. Blunt was putting it lightly. Crude was putting it better.

"Um- what's for dinner?" she asked as she changed the topic to something more comfortable.

"Hamilton made Miss Granger mushroom linguini."

"Sounds great. Thank you Hamilton."

Hamilton beamed, pleased by her praise before he nodded his head once and disapparated.

Hermione sniffed the wafts coming from the food and moved towards it hungrily. She would have liked to eat in front of the table by the window but seeing how it was still bucketing down; she instead moved the tray to the armchair by the fireplace. Quickly moving back to the bed, she lugged the book towards her. Settling into the cozy warmth of the armchair, she started to eat her dinner and got back to her reading.

Almost inevitably, her thoughts drifted back to Malfoy.

ooo

"_Are you ready to give into me yet?" _

"_No." she whispered, "this isn't right." _

_He moved over her, his body coming down until his chest pressed against her breasts and his cock aligned smoothly with the place that yearned for it most. _

"_Stop lying to yourself sweetheart. Give into everything that I can give you." _

"_It's not right." She moaned again as she lifted her body towards him, unsure if she wanted to buck him off her or simply feel him pressed against her more fully. _

"_What's more right than me pleasuring your body?" He said as he kissed her pounding pulse. "What's more right than taking me into your body?"_

_Hermione didn't know the answer. Malfoy waited for a few moments, his grey eyes piercing hers and then they narrowed. _

"_So stubborn." he said as he lowered his head, mouth heading straight for her tight nipple. _

_She cried out and ground helplessly against him when he raked his teeth over the sensitive tip. _

_She wasn't giving in. Her body might be betraying her but her mind wasn't. She wasn't giving in. And she repeated the mantra for a few short moments before Malfoy's ministrations caused her to spiral out of control. _

**ooooo**

The next morning, Hermione woke up utterly frozen. As she took in a deep breath, the cold air seemed to hurt her lungs and when her feet accidentally brushed up against each other, she nearly shrieked at the jolt her body experienced. Firmly swinging her legs as far away as possible from each other, Hermione shivered under the duvet.

Why was it so cold? Her fingers were just as icy as her toes and she was loath to stop rubbing the warmth into them and reach for her wand. Lifting her head slightly, she groaned as she saw the extinguished fireplace and she groaned even louder as she remembered her sleepy movements from last night.

After spending hours in front of the fire she had grown unbearably hot. As sleep had threatened to overtake her, she had thoughtlessly doused the fire with a shot of water from her wand and had desperately shed her clothes to slide in between the lovely cool sheets. Those sheets were now icy cold.

As she lay in the bed and became aware of the feelings in the other parts of her body, she noticed the heaviness of her head and the slight pain in her throat as she swallowed. Mentally complaining so loud her ears hurt, she forced herself into an upright position. She was absolutely not getting a cold, she told herself sternly. She would get up, brush her teeth, take a quick shower and things would seem much better. These things were always much worse in the morning than at any other time of the day. She was positively sure that if she ignored the pounding behind her eyes and the persistent scratch in her throat, she would soon forget all about it.

Throwing the duvet off her, the cold air hit her skin and she shivered violently. Immediately waving her wand to get the fire going again, she placed a warming charm on the room in the meantime. Standing from her bed, Hermione had to fight through a bout of dizziness before she could hobble into the bathroom.

Taking a quick bath than a quick shower in the fear of toppling over, she was changing into her clothes and calling Hamilton shortly after. Pleased when he appeared not five seconds later with her breakfast, she watched him notice her pallor and frown.

"Is Miss Granger feeling well?"

"I'm fine, Hamilton." She dismissed.

He said nothing more and left her with her food. Despite the fact she suddenly didn't seem so hungry and that the look of the breakfast that had excited her so much the previous day was now making her queasy, she pushed the feeling back down her throat.

Leaving the eggs that she would have previously devoured, she nibbled slowly on the dry toast and the tasteless fruit. After what seemed like an age, she finally satisfied herself in that she had eaten enough to sustain her until lunchtime. Placing the cover back over the now cold eggs and beans, she grabbed the book she had borrowed from the library and hesitated when she reached her door.

Don't be silly Hermione. It's not as if Malfoy was likely to be waiting for her to leave her bedroom so he could…pounce.

The image caused her to quiver.

With the toast threatening to make a reappearance, she swallowed tightly before clicking open the door as quietly as she could. The hallway was dimly lit but it was empty.

Hermione stepped out quickly and practically ran to the room she had been working in yesterday, not breathing in fully until she was safely ensconced behind its closed door. Taking in the amazing artifacts and paintings that the room held, she moved over to her desk and immersed herself in her work.

ooo

The day passed far more fruitfully than the previous and when Hamilton brought in a cup of tea for her at three, Hermione was ready to stop for the day. Still not admitting to herself that she had a cold, despite her headache and semi pounding ears, she accepted the ginger tea from Hamilton with eager hands.

Apparently she hadn't fooled him enough.

Slowly consuming the liquid whilst it was still hot, Hermione tried to concentrate and maybe get another hour of work in but it was useless. Her eyes were struggling to concentrate and her head suddenly felt very woollen. What she needed was some fresh air. Gathering her things with one hand and the cup of tea in the other, Hermione made her way back to her room to grab her coat and scarf and gloves.

As she was pulling them on, a thought occurred to her and she paused.

"Hamilton?" she called out.

He popped in. "Yes Miss Granger?"

"Is it okay for me to take a walk outside?"

Hamilton looked confused as if the thought hadn't occurred to him. "I will go and check with Master Malfoy. Please wait one moment." He said as he disapparated.

Hermione sat back down with a slump. She had a nasty feeling that in a moment she would be reminded that she was only permitted to use her specific set of rooms. She daren't think of what Malfoy's reply would be after what had occurred yesterday in the library…and it was growing dark outside, the sun already beginning to set. Did she really want to let Malfoy know that she would be out there…and alone to boot?

Her pessimistic thoughts meant she was pulling off her gloves when Hamilton returned.

"Master Malfoy says Miss Granger is welcome to walk the grounds. He said that if Miss Granger would like to wait for a few moments, Master Malfoy can show her around the grounds?"

"What? No!"

Her yells caused Hamilton to take a few steps back as he looked at her with a startled expression on his small face. Mortified, she felt her cheeks start to burn.

"No." she said again in a more normal voice this time. "I'll be fine by myself. I don't want to disturb Malfoy. If you could just show me where I can get out?" she explained quickly, hoping that Hamilton would hurry up and show her the exit and she would have ample time to disappear from the Manor's view by the time Hamilton informed Malfoy that she didn't want his company.

Unsure, Hamilton nodded before asking her to follow him. The two walked in silence for just over a minute before they entered a room that had giant doors opening up onto the grounds.

"Thank you Hamilton."

"Miss Granger does not need to thank Hamilton." He said before dissaparating.

Hermione pulled open the doors and quickly stepped out. As she skipped down a few steps, the cold air stung the uncovered portion of her face and she shivered. Feeling her lips tighten and knowing she had an awful habit of biting them if they became chapped; she swiped her tongue over them once before burrowing her nose into her scarf.

Heading off over the grass, Hermione walked away from the Manor before she came to a large group of tress. Feeling somewhat hidden by their protective embrace, she turned around and took in the Manor in its entirety. She could just about make out the patio she had exited and the wild roses that had taken over a good portion of the left wing. The magically blooming flowers surprised her- she wouldn't have expected it from Malfoy, especially when the rest of the Manor was in such obvious disrepair. Maybe Hamilton had a green thumb?

Running her eyes from one side of the Manor to the other, Hermione counted the windows she saw as she went. Three floors, fifteen large windows on each level, and no less than six towers. For a brief minute, she debated which window was the one belonging to her room. Zeroing in on one, she pondered before a window opening a few away from the one she was looking at caught her gaze. Squinting so she could make out Hamilton, Hermione reeled back as she recognised Malfoy's blond hair.

He seemed to be staring right at her and she quickly turned around and walked off deeper into the trees. Had he been watching her? She shivered self-consciously but continued onwards. Spotting a path, she began following it as she mused over her thoughts.

In all that had happened she had completely forgotten about the scars on Malfoy's face. How had he got them? And when? The obvious answer was Azkaban. Were they the reason he didn't step out of the Manor? He had asked her if she had been scared of them and though she had replied yes, Malfoy had caught her lie. She had been scared of him…of what he was doing to her body and making her feel…not his face.

Although Hermione had a horrible feeling it was haunting her dreams. As always, she couldn't remember what she had dreamed about the night before but her mind kept coming back to Malfoy. Last night's dreams evidently hadn't been a very pleasant. When she'd stepped into the shower this morning, the warm water had caused her breasts to sting and when she'd looked down, she'd been stunned to see that they'd been chafed raw. She must have rubbed them against the cotton sheets too many times in all her twisting and turning.

Shaking her head and mentally making a note to wear a thicker T-shirt to bed or simply keep her bra on, she headed deeper into the woods. It was only when she heard a bird screeching in the distance that she looked up and noticed how dark it had gotten. Or that she had no idea where she was. Immediately looking down, Hermione frowned as she saw she was walking over grass and not the path she had expected to see.

Disconcerted, she turned around in the way she had come. Her hand went to her inside coat pocket and when she didn't feel her wand in its usual resting place, the beginnings of alarm began to sweep in. Recalling her movements, she berated herself as she realised she must have left it on her bed.

She walked ahead for a few more minutes and was relieved when she found the path again. Stepping on it, she ignored the fading light and kept her eyes firmly fixed in the distance for the clearing she had come through. Fifteen minutes later and with no view of the Manor in sight, Hermione was desperately wishing she had her wand. Not that it would have helped; she was sure Malfoy would have blocked her from apparating from anywhere on the Manor's grounds since he had blocked her from apparating within the Manor. But at least she would have been able to send up an emergency flare.

When she came to a crossroads in the path, she grew even more confused. Hippogriff dung. Had she taken the wrong trail? She had naively assumed there was only one. Taking the path leading to the right, she walked along it slowly. She felt relieved when she saw the shrubbery growing less wild. In certain places it even looked as if it had been trimmed once or twice. Reaching out to twist her fingers in the leaves, she pulled out a sprig to keep her occupied on her walk.

The cold started numbing her nose and had her huddling further into her coat. Now that she was out of her thoughts, she became aware of just how lethargic she was feeling. Trying to remain optimistic and repeatedly telling herself that she did _not_ have a cold, Hermione quickened her pace.

She stopped short when she came to a dead end. Utterly disappointed and not relishing the thought of walking back to the crossroads, she studied the wall in front of her. Her fogged mind wondered whether she would be able to scale it- maybe the height would allow her to see where she was and more importantly, in which direction the Manor was?

Her debate was terminated when she felt the first of the fat drops of rain hitting her skin. Pulling her hat further down on her head, she stepped forward determinedly. Her gloved hands snagged on the brambles covering the wall and Hermione jumped upwards with all her might, arms outstretched and hoping to catch onto the top of the wall so she could pull herself up. It took a few tries and a precarious footing of her right foot on a very thin branch, but she finally managed to lug herself up.

And she saw nothing…Well to be honest, she saw more of the woods but even that was murky in the dark light. Taking care not to miss-step, Hermione turned around carefully, hoping to see something behind her.

Nothing. And the torrent of rain that had just been unleashed wasn't helping matters. It was seconds before she was completely soaked and shivering violently.

"What is Miss Granger doing?"

Hermione screamed and managed to catch sight of Hamilton for a split second before she slipped and stumbled…right onto the hard, wet ground on the other side of the wall. As soon as she managed to get her body taking in oxygen again, the pain in her ankle caused her to wince.

"Miss Granger! Are you alright?" Hamilton asked. He had apparated to her side again and she had never been so thankful.

"I think I've twisted my ankle." She said through the throbbing pain.

Hamilton bustled over her. "We must get back to the Manor."

Hermione tried standing on her ankle but as soon as she put weight on it, she hissed and automatically reached out to move her weight onto the nearby branches. "I don't think I can walk."

"Hamilton will apparate Miss Granger."

Closing her eyes to prepare herself, Hermione re-opened them when the cold air was replaced by warmth. Hobbling over to her bed, she quickly took off her wet outer clothes before easing her feet out of her trainers. The sprained ankle was already beginning to swell but it was quickly relieved by a quick spell from her wand.

Now that the immediate pain was taken care of, her frame started shivering in body wracking shakes.

"Miss Granger must definitely be ill now." Hamilton said as he brought her a towel from the bathroom.

Hermione took it gratefully. "You might be right." She said as she sniffed to stop her nose running. A drying charm on her hair stopped the cold water dripping down the back of her neck but the ice seemed to have seeped into her bones.

"Miss Granger will take a shower and Hamilton will bring her dinner." Hamilton ordered.

Hermione was all for the idea but she didn't think she would make it to the bathroom without falling over. Despite her worries, she nodded her head and Hamilton left her bedroom.

Grabbing her wand, she apparated into the bathroom and quickly hung onto the sink when the dizziness threatened to overtake her. She was forced to lean against the shower wall as she quickly scrubbed her body clean, but she felt much better once she was done. Towelling her body dry, she apparated back to her bed. Thankfully, her nightwear was in arms reach and she quickly pulled it on.

Fifteen minutes later there was a knock on her door. Hermione was drowsing on the bed, her head so heavy it took a monumental effort to simply lift it and sit up in bed.

"Come in." she said nasally.

Hamilton entered and looked at her worriedly.

Since she was only travelling from London to Wiltshire, Hermione had left her first aid pack at home. "Do you have any Pepper Up Potion?" she asked Hamilton hopefully.

Hamilton frowned. "Hamilton told Master Malfoy that the rooms allocated to Miss Granger were too cold. It is why Master Malfoy placed a warming charm on them. Hamilton will mention to Master Malfoy that his spells have not worked when he asks Master about the Potion."

Surprised and oddly touched that Malfoy had thought about her comfort during her stay, she felt guilty at Hamilton's words. "It's not Malfoy's fault. The temperature in the rooms has been fine. I think I was coming down with a cold before I arrived. Today's foray into the grounds just pushed it further."

Hamilton looked sceptical. "Regardless, Master Malfoy will want to know that Miss Granger is unwell."

"Please don't bother him on my account. I'll probably be fine after a good night's sleep. If he's worried about the work I won't be able to do, I can Owl one of my colleagues and they'll be able to work in my place until I'm well again."

Hamilton looked shocked at her suggestion before he began whipping his head from side to side. "Oh no, Master Malfoy would most definitely not like a stranger in his home."

Hermione wanted to point out that she was a stranger but she suddenly felt much too tired to do so. As she struggled to concentrate on Hamilton's words, she somehow picked up the words that she wanted to hear the most. That she should get under the covers and sleep for a few hours. Hermione was sure she had followed Hamilton's orders even before he had exited her room.

ooo

_Hermione stirred from the muggy heat surrounding her and whimpered as she felt cool hands run over her body. _

_She was burning! It felt like she was in an inferno! _

_Moaning again, she tried shifting her body to stir the warm air around her. _

"_Hush, sweet." _

_The cold fingers massaged her forehead and she stopped her moving and sank back onto the mattress. _

"_If Hamilton hadn't told me that you might have been ill before you even arrived, I would have thought you purposely got a cold just to avoid me."_

_Hermione shook her head but said nothing, her head feeling too fuzzy. _

"_Don't think I didn't see you running away from me on the grounds. I'll be punishing you for that as soon as you've got your strength back up. I was perfectly ready to spend some time with you- to allow you to become comfortable with me outside of the bedroom…" _

_The hands moved to the drumming pulse in her neck. _

"_But I suppose you're quite prepared to keep our relationship contained to the bedroom. Well I have no problems with that- for now. But be warned- I want all of you sweet- not just your nights." _

**ooooo**

Hermione jolted awake as she felt smooth fingers gliding over her forehead. Remnants of her dream blurred into the reality she was experiencing and she frowned. Somebody, she was assuming Hamilton, had closed the curtains to her bedroom and only small slivers of moonlight were spilling into the room.

"Malfoy?" she whispered hoarsely as her eyes adjusted to the darkness and the figure formed a face.

"You have a fever." He explained simply. "The Pepper Up Potion is currently brewing and should be ready in a few hours."

Hermione merely grunted.

"Can I get you anything?" he asked.

Hermione spoke hoarsely. "Water."

Malfoy reached out for something on her bedside table before cupping the back of her head with his other hand and easily lifting her mouth to the rim of the cup. Hermione took in hasty gulps and felt the burn in her throat ease. When it became difficult for her to breath, Malfoy pulled the glass away from her and laid her head back down.

Neither of them spoke for a few seconds and Hermione took the time to study him. She noted the grey eyes, the pale features and the thin lips. Her eyes then flickered to the other side of his face and the intricate pattern of angry scars swirling together. He let her look to her fill but when she realised the tight tension in his body, she realised what it had cost him to let her study him so closely.

"What happened?" she asked softly.

Malfoy's face was blank before he spoke. "Go back to sleep. We'll talk again when you're better."

Hermione would have pushed further but she knew Malfoy wouldn't be giving her any answers. She heard him leave the bedroom and she stretched out on the bed.

Her thoughts leapt back to the yesterday's…situation in the library and she felt the all too familiar shame fill her stomach. But behind it was the ever present arousal. Hermione groaned and burrowed her head into the pillow. She forced her mind back to Malfoy's scars.

Just what had happened to him in Azkaban? For the scars to have left such deep marks, they must have been inflicted with a wand and left to bleed instead of being treated immediately.

Wands were illegal in Azkaban. Had a guard cursed him?

Hermione felt a surge of pity that she knew would have angered Malfoy if he gained even an inkling of what she was feeling.

Tightening her eyes shut, she tried to get her mind off him.

ooo

She spent the next hour drifting in and out of her thoughts and time seemed to fly by. When she heard the door opening, she expected to see Hamilton but Malfoy walked back in. She felt required to stir from the cocoon she had built herself as he walked over to her. The dim candles in the room began to glow a little brighter and Hermione felt awed over his easy power over non-verbal spells.

When he reached her, he handed her a vial of steaming liquid.

"I brought it straight from the cauldron. It needs to cool down slightly otherwise it'll burn your tongue and we wouldn't want that now would we?"

Hermione looked up at him quickly and saw the gleam in his eyes. Uncomfortable, she subtly lifted the duvet higher up her body until it was drawn to her throat. Chancing a look back at Malfoy, she saw amusement in his gaze.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

"Okay." Hermione replied.

Malfoy's pale eyebrows lifted and he didn't look too impressed at her polite answer. "Hamilton informed me that you got lost on the grounds yesterday."

"Yesterday?"

"It's a little past three in the morning."

"You didn't have to stay awake brewing the potion." Hermione told him.

He seemed angry at her words and began opening his mouth to say something to her before he caught himself. He waved his hands in a dismissing motion as he muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "Later".

"The next time you wish for a walk on the grounds you'll be accompanied by me." He informed her.

"I don't need a babysitter." Hermione croaked out, annoyed at his words.

"My Manor. My rules. And you agreed to them before you walked your sweet arse in here."

Hermione harrumphed, having no idea on how to reply to that. Apparently Malfoy overheard her because his jaw ticked as if he was grinding his teeth together angrily. Her heart started thudding loudly in her chest.

"Drink your potion." Malfoy finally ordered.

Hermione reached out for it and quickly drank it down. As expected, streams of steam started whistling from her ears. With her eyes tightly shut, she waited with baited breath for the potion to do its job. She was surprised when she opened her eyes to see Malfoy still stood by the bed, staring at her.

"Thank you." She said self-consciously as she placed the empty vial on the bedside table. Her hold on the duvet fell and the cover slipped to just below her breasts. She saw Malfoy's eyes drop to the bare skin revealed by her top and her nipples immediately hardened under his gaze.

Malfoy's eyes turned hungry and Hermione thought she heard him emit a soft growl from his throat. Upon hearing the noise, she gasped and snatched the cover back up to her throat.

Unwanted images of the two of them in bed sprung to the forefront of her mind. Keeping her eyes firmly fixed on Malfoy, as if expecting him to swoop down the second she looked away; she saw his annoyance when she hid her breasts from view. He stood still for a second and then when it finally registered in his mind that she wasn't going to drop the cover, he turned his stormy gaze to face hers.

Hermione said nothing as the first tendrils of awareness began curling at her stomach. With her ears now unblocked and her head beginning to clear, she felt her body stretch taut as she waited for Malfoy's next move.

He seemed satisfied enough to merely stare and unnerve her. It worked as Hermione found herself edging ever so slightly towards where her wand lay.

"Get some rest. I'll bring you another dose of Potion in a few hours if you need one."

Thankful, Hermione nodded. Her heart began soothing out into a normal rhythm when Malfoy finally left her room. Taking a few moments to regain her equilibrium, she stepped out of bed. A shower was desperately called for.

ooo

After a couple of hours of drowsing, Hermione's body refused to lie in bed any longer. Dawn hadn't broken yet and Hermione knew she had a few hours before the weak sun would crack out from behind the clouds. Common sense told her that she should remain in her room but she felt so restless. The Pepper Up Potion had done its job well and all she could think about was the work she had missed out doing.

The clock told her it was five thirty in the morning and reassuring herself that Malfoy would be well asleep, she put on her trainers and slipped out of the room. For once, the darkness of the Manor didn't seem so scary. The walk to her rooms was familiar and she was making her way there when she caught sight of an opened door.

With a puzzled frown, she walked over to it. The room had been firmly shut every time she had walked past it before, so why was it open now? Was it another room that held contents she was going to have to catalogue? Walking over to it slowly, she tried to peer through the small slit that was open to her. Of course she could make out nothing.

With trepidation, her arm stretched out towards the door knob hesitantly. It hovered for a few moments before she finally closed her hand over it and pushed the door open. A quick spell lit up the room and Hermione's frown grew deeper. It was a bedroom. A normal bedroom holding no obvious antiquities that she could see.

Stepping further into the room, Hermione looked around curiously. She noted how similar the room was decorated to her own and she ran her hands over the soft bedspread as she passed it.

"What are you doing in here?"

Hermione gasped as she spun around. Malfoy was standing in the doorway, a carefully blank look on his face and Hermione felt herself wishing she could read him better. Gulping silently, she pulled at the neckline of her jumper as her eyes flitted around the room, looking anywhere but at him.

"I-I was just…"

"Disobeying my orders once again." Malfoy cut in.

Hermione looked back at him, unsure of what to say. She wanted to point out that the door had been open but her throat muscles refused to move.

"Tell me… how are you feeling?" he continued to ask in a soft voice.

"Good. I don't think I'll need another dose of Potion."

Something flashed through his eyes. Hermione stepped back as he moved over towards her. When he was stood in front of her, he paused.

"I warned you that there would be consequences." And with that, he pulled Hermione towards him and apparated her away.

ooo

Hermione squeaked when he felt her feet landing on the hard floor. Opening her eyes, she took in her surroundings, so different from her bedroom and the bedroom she had just seen, and when her eyes landed on the black satin sheets, she innately knew just where she was.

Looking back to Malfoy with wide eyes, Hermione quickly stepped backwards until her back hit the door. With scrambling hands, she wrapped them around the doorknob and twisted it fruitlessly. It was locked.

With a gasping chest, she turned back to face Malfoy. He looked amused at her actions to escape.

"Unlock the door." She ordered strongly.

Malfoy lifted a pale eyebrow but said nothing. When he took off his outer robes, she grew even more nervous.

"Unlock the door…I-I'm not feeling well."

Malfoy settled himself comfortably into an armchair. "I believe I mentioned how I feel about you lying to me. Now come here to me."

Hermione stared at his shadowed face. "No." she said as she squared her shoulders.

"_Now_ sweetheart…Don't make me come and get you." He threatened when she refused to move.

"Malfoy…I-I can't." She managed to choke out.

"Very well. We'll do it your way." He said as he stood.

Hermione expected him to walk over to her but when he apparated until he was stood right in front of her, she couldn't breathe as she looked up at him. He gave her an out of place gentle chuck under her chin before Hermione found herself being apparated away again.

This time she landed on her back in the middle of the bed and before she could catch her mind up with what was happening, a non-verbal spell saw her hands and ankles tied to each of the bed's posts.

She immediately struggled against the bindings, her thrashing mussing the sheets around her until she was forced to stop when Malfoy hooked his fingers through one of the belt loops on her jeans.

It was then that she noticed his bare chest and she froze tightly as she took in the sight of him. Despite the light, she could make out the thin slivers of white lines from Harry's curse marring his chest. And as her gaze travelled lower and she saw the ropes of muscle on his stomach veering down to a V shape, she realised that it wasn't just his shirt he'd removed.

Oh my Merlin- he was naked! She immediately squeezed her eyes shut and turned her face away. Her mind began betraying her by imagining what Malfoy's whole body looked like and despite how hard she tried, the moving pictures of his body thrusting slowly into hers refused to get out of her head.

She felt Malfoy's hand stroke her turned away cheek and his subsequent sigh when she refused to open her eyes. The bed dipped from where he sat down next to her and from smelling his scent growing stronger, she knew his head was close to hers.

"Open your eyes sweetheart."

Hermione swallowed but didn't adhere to his request. "I can't…please…you have to let me go."

"I've let you go for years. Ever since Hogwarts. Do you know how difficult it was for me not to have you at school- especially when I saw the desire in your eyes after we took Brown? I had to see you every day and restrain myself because I knew you weren't ready. And once again when I got your letter asking to come to the Manor. I've let you go for years."

When she felt his light kiss on her lips, her eyes popped open. Thankfully, his face was close enough to her face that she couldn't see anything else.

"Listen to me." He said as he looked into her wide eyes.

"Let me go." She whispered.

"I know you're apprehensive but I would never hurt you."

Hermione listened to him silently. "It isn't right." She told him quietly.

"If it gives you pleasure then it is right. There's no-one in this room other than me and you. Let me show you what I can give you."

Hermione's mind raced as Malfoy's words and the possibilities repeated in fast loops in her head.

"Say emerald."

Hermione stopped her crazy thoughts. "What?" she asked confused.

"In every dominant/submissive relationship there's a safe word. If you say emerald then everything stops. It doesn't matter how far things have gone, how much I want you- if you say the word that's it… But I'm telling you now sweetheart, once you've called a halt to the activity- that's it. I won't broach it with you again…But if you don't say it, as long as your sweet body responds to me, I won't stop, regardless of how much you might fight me."

His words had caused her to flush. Her clothes were stifling her and Hermione could feel her body already responding to him and all he was doing was talking to her! Unwanted excitement spread through her and she knew her eyes had dilated at the thoughts he was provoking.

Malfoy stared at her for a few short seconds, letting his words sink in before he stood again. Hermione's eyes shamefully dropped and she took in a sharp intake of breath as she took in his erection. His cock was long and hard, its head purple and engorged. Merlin's balls. Her mind starting screaming at her to say the safe word but her mouth didn't seem to be listening.

"Ready for your first lesson sweet?" he grinned. His tone did its job of lightening the mood but Hermione still couldn't bring herself to speak or even nod.

Malfoy didn't wait for an answer and in the next second, her clothes had been magicked away from her body. Hermione's eyes bugged out of her head and her arms immediately began to reach down to cover herself. The binding's allowed her some movement but she could only get as far as bringing her elbows to the side of her head- nowhere near to covering her breasts. Her legs then twisted uselessly in a desperate bid to close them and hide her most private area. Embarrassment flushed her body red when she saw Malfoy looking over her body unabashedly.

When a happy smile spread across his face, Hermione was stunned at how different he looked. She kept her eyes glued to his face and when he'd finally had enough of looking at her body, he glanced back at her and winked. Hermione bit her lip as he moved to the foot of the bed as she realised just what his view now was. Her eyes squeezed shut again.

"Oh, Malfoy. You have to let me go." She pleaded softly.

His hand splayed on her stomach and she trembled as her stomach lurched inwards. He stroked downwards slowly until he reached her pussy. She gasped when a finger ran through the moisture that had coated her lips before a second finger joined its partner in separating her. Hermione felt the colder air hit her fevered flesh and then with no warning at all, one of those adventurous fingers entered her.

Hermione squirmed against the bindings as Malfoy groaned out loudly. "So tight. Sweet Merlin."

His finger curled upwards inside her and Hermione whimpered. Dear Merlin, he needed to stop! This was wrong! At yet, her mouth remained shut.

When his movements got less measured and more forceful, her head fell back on the pillow as her hips arched off the bed.

"Your pussy is going to feel so good around my cock sweetheart." He said as he continued with his thrusting. "I bet your arse is even tighter. Merlin, I can't believe how long I've waited for this."

His words registered in Hermione's mind and she lifted her head once more. Her eyes flicked back down to Malfoy's protruding cock and she felt panic terrify her as she imagined what he was proposing.

" No- Malfoy- let me go. Are you crazy?" She shrieked out in sudden alarm. Merlin- he was going to rip her apart. What happened to not hurting her!

Malfoy lifted his head and his stormy gaze turned to hers. His lips curled into a crooked smile that did nothing to alleviate her worries. He removed his finger from her pussy and then quickly swiped it downwards so it circled the forbidden hole for a short second before he moved till he was standing by her again. His gaze held a dare and Hermione narrowed her gaze obstinately.

Malfoy laughed out loud. "There's my stubborn witch." He said before he swooped down and lifted her lips to his. His tongue pushed forward, seizing control from her as he licked and tasted her mouth.

Hermione moaned into his mouth and her body shuddered as her limbs twisted against the bindings. She wanted to touch him. She wanted to wrap her arms and legs around his body and feel him against her. But she couldn't. Malfoy moved back, his eyes still fixated on her mouth.

He moved across her body and reached across to grab more pillows. Lifting her head, he propped the pillows behind her before moving to kneel across just above her breasts, both his knees resting on the bed either side of her. It was obvious what he wanted.

"Open your mouth for me."

Hermione looked into hungry eyes and took in a deep breath. After another moment of deliberation she opened her mouth slightly. She had never given any of her sexual partners a blow job before. Either of them. She'd heard mixed views on the subject from various girls at Hogwarts and the negative encounters of aching jaws and forceful thrusting had overpowered the encounters of how pleasurable it was to control a wizard's pleasure. She didn't think Malfoy would let her control anything and her opening mouth closed back again somewhat.

Malfoy popped his thumb into her mouth before she could close it fully. Her tongue automatically popped forward to speak but instead she tasted the skin on the pad of his finger. She gave him a little lick.

Groaning, Malfoy spoke. "Open for me sweet."

Hermione barely heard his words, too busy licking his thumb again and wondering how his skin was so rough and not smooth as she had expected it to be. A sharp spank on her clit had her screaming out in surprise at the brief flare of pain followed by the strong throbbing. Malfoy's thumb extracted itself and with a hand on the base of his shaft, he guided the head into her mouth.

Hermione's lips stretched as she took him in, her eyes glued to Malfoy's as he stared down at her, gaging her reactions to his actions. Stopping when her lips clamped down around the thick head, he breathed in tightly and though it were her limbs that were tied and her body spread out in front of him for him to take, Hermione felt as if she was the one in control over the act. Her tongue came out to tentatively lick the pre-cum she had seen at the tip. She let the salty and musky taste settle over her tongue, evaluating his taste and her response to it.

When she gave him another, less hesitant lick, Malfoy inched his penis in further. Hermione kept herself calm as her mouth pulled to allow him in. When she felt the need to swallow, her cheeks hollowed around him and she watched something dark flare to life in his eyes.

"A little more sweetheart." He said as he pushed in further.

Hermione's tongue started licking and stroking. She desperately tried to remember things she had heard from the girls at Hogwarts on what wizards liked but her head refused to think and so she did anything she could think of. She twirled the tip of her tongue around the smooth head, she traced the vein she could feel and she sucked until her cheeks pained from the action. Thankfully, if Malfoy's harsh breathing was any indication, he seemed to be enjoying it.

"Such a hot little mouth. That's it sweetheart. Just one more inch."

When he pressed forward this time, he hit the back of her throat and her eyes immediately bugged out of her head. As she felt her air supply being cut off, panic began to rise up her throat. With his gaze still on hers, Malfoy quickly pulled back and she took in deep breaths through her mouth.

Oh dear Merlin. Mortified, she closed her eyes as she felt embarrassed tears hit the back of her eyes.

"It's okay sweetheart. Look at me."

Hermione swallowed and shook her head. Malfoy moved to cup her cheeks and his thumbs soothed the ache in her jaw.

"Feel better?" he asked gently.

Hermione opened her eyes. "I'm sorry…I-I can't…let me go." She said ashamed, shifting her gaze away from his.

Malfoy's fingers moved to grip her chin in a strong hold before he lifted her descended head back up. "You have nothing to be sorry for." He said intensely. "It was my fault for moving too quickly. I-" He cut himself off with an angry shake of his head. He looked back down at her. "You remember the safe word?"

Hermione nodded slowly.

"When you feel me hitting the back of your mouth, relax your throat." He instructed.

"I couldn't breathe." Hermione admitted quietly.

Malfoy nodded. "Relax your throat and breathe in through your nose, not your mouth."

Hermione took in his words and nibbled at her lip. Malfoy rubbed his thumb over it, freeing it from her teeth and nervous, her teeth latched onto his thumb instead.

"Ready to try again?" he asked after a moment.

Hermione looked into his eyes and nodded her head shakily.

"Good girl." He said. But instead of moving his cock back into her mouth, he moved off her.

"What are you doing?" she asked breathlessly as he moved back to the foot of the bed.

Malfoy knelt between her legs and began flicking his thumb against her swollen clit. Her body immediately began thrumming again. "If you're not with me every step of the way, I won't get any pleasure out anything you do to me."

And with that he descended his head and gave her a long lick. Purring with pleasure with his lips still buried within her, the vibrations had her thighs quaking.

"Merlin, you taste so good."

Malfoy's hands came down and pressed her legs back down to the bed as he continued his ministrations. When his mouth sucked her clit, her body began screaming for the ever elusive release. His fingers parted her lips and then he entered her with his tongue.

"Malfoy!" she yelled out as she felt her vaginal muscles trembling.

She needed more. She needed his fingers to fill her. Merlin- she needed his cock. When he pulled his head back, her head swam as she lifted it. She moaned her disagreement out loud when she saw him stand and leave her.

"Nooo." She whimpered as she watched him move away from her. Merlin- she couldn't believe he was leaving her…now of all times. Her body was burning for release.

He walked back over to her and Hermione knew what he was going to ask her to do. This time, when he settled himself back into his prior position, her mouth fell open without instruction. Pleased, Malfoy thrust back in gently. Hermione felt her body being overtaken by a greedy lusty witch. A voice ran through her head, demanding that she please him so he would return the favour.

She suckled and licked at Malfoy's cock like a mad woman as he thrust in and out of her mouth. When she saw him signal silently with his gaze that he was going to move further in, she forced her throat to relax and took in a deep breath with her nose. This time, when she felt him hit the back of her throat; she simply adjusted her head, allowing him to slip in that much further.

Malfoy groaned out loud and a thrill of pleasure ran through her body, causing her pussy to clench in pleasure.

"Oh sweetheart. Take me in deep. Merlin- I'm going to show you just how good I can make you feel. Such a sweet mouth…fucking me."

Hermione listened to his words and excitement clawed at her stomach. A few more seconds and Malfoy's groans turned into growls. His thrusts became harder and his eyes darkened until the usual grey was nearly overtaken by the black pupils.

"Oh fuck sweetheart. I'm going to come. I'm going to come."

Hermione could already feel the taste of his liquid streaming down her throat and she widened her eyes as she saw him lose control above her. She had never felt so powerful. Never felt so much of a woman. It felt as if he had awoken something within her and it was scrabbling to get free.

She felt his cock jerk in her throat and knew he was close.

"Swallow me sweetheart. Oh fuck- take me."

The second the words were out of his mouth she felt her own body coming close to its own surprising orgasm.

"So hard. Never been so hard." He admitted mindlessly as he jerked his thighs forward and back. And then as he let out a loud groan, she felt a jet of hot semen hit the back of her throat. It was quickly followed by another. And another. And all the while, Hermione swallowed him down her throat.

His body fell forward and he held himself aloft by bracing his arms around the headboard. Hermione continued to suckle and lick him gently as she watched him come down from his high with fascinated eyes.

Oh my Merlin, she couldn't believe she had just done that.

Malfoy caught his breath before he moved slowly out of her mouth, hissing as if even the smallest of movements pained his sensitised flesh. Hermione let him go with a soft pop when he finally left her mouth completely. He moved backwards until he was straddling her stomach and looked down at her with gentle eyes.

"You're beautiful." He said as he leaned down to kiss her. "You make me lose my mind."

His kisses were wonderful but her body needed more. "Please Malfoy." She begged as she twisted her legs around.

"Don't worry, I've not forgotten about you sweet. You've earned your reward." He shifted back up her body and untied the ties by her wrists. Making quick work of the ties around her ankles, Hermione was too strained to move as he quickly flipped her over onto her front. A noise of complaint escaped from her mouth and Malfoy gave her another quick slap between her spread legs. There was no pain this time, only pleasure as her deprived clit finally received some attention. Spasms ran through her body and she barely felt Malfoy re-tie her legs.

She felt him cover her from behind and her thighs quickly began shifting into the correct alignment. Malfoy chuckled in her ear. "Not yet sweetheart."

"Now." She ordered shortly.

There was another chuckle. "Let's get you comfortable first."

Hermione wanted to tell him she was comfortable but then she realised that her face was squished onto the duvet. Pulling the pillows where her head previously lay; Malfoy easily lifted her body upwards by the stomach as if she were a rag doll. Placing the pillows in a strategic position, her arse was lifted into the air.

"Lift up on your arms."

Hermione followed his order with a great deal of struggle. Her arms were shaking and they refused to lock in place and hold up her body. Placing a pillow a little above her head, Malfoy placed a hand on the back of her head and guided it down until it lay sideways on the cushion. Her arms fell to her sides.

She should have been horrified at the position she was in. The obvious offering in her posture. But she couldn't think about anything else than getting her release.

Malfoy palmed her butt cheeks with both his hands and squeezed. A few light spanks that she barely felt and he was finally separating her folds.

"Look at how wet you are. Merlin- if I touched you now you would soak my hand."

Hermione moved her thighs backwards to where she imagined his hands to be. "Yes…touch me." She said feverishly.

Malfoy stroked her reverently. "So beautiful…And all mine. All mine."

His possessive tone caused her pussy to throb even more strongly. "Malfoy, please…I need-"

"Oh I know just what you need sweet. And I'm here to give it to you. From this day forward, it'll only be me giving it you, do you understand sweet? You're mine."

A finger entered her and that was it. She clamped down on his finger as she exploded. Shudders ran through her and she jerked helplessly. Behind her, she heard Malfoy grunt at the tightening around his digit. Her mouth parted in a silent scream as she felt her own fluid drip down his inserted finger.

"Oh fuck Hermione. I need to taste you." And still keeping his middle finger in her, not that she was ready to let him go yet, she felt his tongue burrow into the cream running down her.

The feel of his tongue on her sensitised flesh had her squirming. Malfoy lapped for a full minute until her hold on his finger lessened and he could pull himself free. Hermione was slumped in front of him boneless, her body feeling too weak and drowsy to move. Thoughts began to encroach on her mind but she pushed them away. She didn't want to think…not yet. She just wanted to lie here and not think or move.

"Hermione?" Malfoy asked as he untied her ankles. He slid the pillows out from under her thighs and she fell to the bed without moving. "Sweetheart?" he sounded concerned and Hermione protested as he pulled her up to lie beside her. His arms came to turn her over on her back.

His fingers ran over her face, tracing her features gently and she sighed at his touch. "Talk to me sweet. Tell me you're okay."

He sounded worried and Hermione forced her eyes open and her facial muscles to move to give him a small smile. She saw his body slump in relief and she closed her eyes again.

"Go to sleep sweetheart." He said as he pulled the satin sheet over her. "Tonight we'll begin again."

ooo

When Hermione woke next she had no clue where she was. And then slowly the memories of what had occurred between her and Malfoy early that morning started coming back. The arm around her waist and the warm body cocooned around should have been comforting but it felt like a shackle.

Dear Merlin- what had she done?

Her breathing grew more laboured as the thoughts she had pushed away when she fell asleep inundated her. Shame and disgust curdled her stomach and she extracted Malfoy's arm as carefully as she could before she jumped out of the bed.

Her clothes were nowhere to be seen and she looked around helplessly for something to cover her naked body. Hurrying over to the closet, she breathed out a sigh of relief when it opened soundlessly and she snagged one of Malfoy's dark coloured robes. Slipping it on, she tied it tightly around her body and turned back to face Malfoy. He was still sleeping contently on his side and Hermione shivered in the cool air.

Shaking her head to remove the errant thoughts about slipping back into his warm embrace, she tiptoed to the door, opened it a fraction before twisting her body through the small gap.

Outside in the corridor, the candles were fewer than graced the corridor she was used to and she hurried down to where the staircase hopefully was. When the corridor seemed never ending she gave in and called out for Hamilton. Unlike usual, it took him a while to appear in front of her. He took in the robe she was wearing and his eyes widened.

"Miss Granger is in Master Malfoy's wing." He pointed out numbly.

"I know…Can you apparate me back to my room please?" She asked, desperation infiltrating her tone.

Hamilton hesitated. "Does Master Malfoy know that Miss Granger is…leaving him?"

Hermione swallowed. "Please…can you just take me to my room?" her voice squeaked out.

Hamilton took in her tone of voice and her begging eyes before he shifted to take hold of the sleeve of her robe. When Hermione landed in her bedroom, Hamilton had already apparated out. She looked around numbly for a brief moment before she realised what she was still wearing. Pulling the robe off her body quickly, Hermione ran into the bathroom.

Shutting the door with a bang, she started the shower and stepped in without waiting for the water to turn hot. The cold stream jolted her body and the shock had her coming out of the shocked stupor she had been in for the last few minutes.

By the time the water had turned warm, she was stifling her sobs behind her hand.

ooo

When Hamilton brought in her lunch a few hours later, Hermione had grown used to her gritty eyes. What she hadn't got used to was the feeling that Malfoy could pop into her bedroom whenever he wanted and a lock on the door would hardly stop him.

She had ventured down to her workroom and carried as many of the smaller items as she could back to her room. She had hoped that if Malfoy decided to seek her out and found she wasn't in any of the workrooms or the library, he would get the idea that she didn't want to see him and leave her alone.

"Is Miss Granger feeling better?" Hamilton asked as he placed her lunch tray on the table beside her bed.

Hermione hesitated at the question. Knowing he wasn't asking about the previous day's ill health, she still decided to pretend she didn't know any better.

"I feel great. As good as new. That Pepper Up Potion worked like a charm."

Hamilton shifted from one foot to the other, obviously unwilling to take her answer despite her mentally yelling at him to do so.

"…Miss Granger does know that she can call Hamilton for anything…If she needs anything."

Hermione smiled. "I do know."

Hamilton seemed to breathe out a sigh of relief and he gave her a small smile as he exited the room. When the door closed behind him, the smile dropped off Hermione's lips. Not having eaten properly in what felt like an age, she moved over to the tray and sat down with it in her lap in the armchair by the fireplace. As she spooned the potatoes in her mouth she wondered about what Harry, Ron and Ginny where doing right now…Anything to keep her mind off Malfoy.

ooo

By two in the afternoon, Hermione found herself with nothing to do. She'd read over the notes she had made that morning and corrected a few bits here and there but the action only took a few minutes. The realisation that she would need to make another trip out of her bedroom didn't sit well with her.

Gathering the trinkets she had spent the day studying, she slowly opened her bedroom door and made her way down the corridor. The journey was over quickly and before she knew it, Hermione was slipping into her workroom. Closing the door behind her, she deposited the possessions onto the table.

"I see you finally decided to come out of hiding."

Hermione stiffened when she heard the drawl and took in a deep breath before she turned around. Malfoy was leaning against the desk she normally worked at, his arms crossed in front of his chest and his eyes hard.

"I wasn't hiding."

"And the decision to work in your bedroom was what?"

"For the sake of comfort." Hermione replied before Malfoy could answer his rhetorical question with a sarcastic answer.

"I could make you quite comfortable in this room. You only had to ask." He said with innuendo.

Hermione's cheeks burned. When he began walking towards her, she backed away. A hand came out to ward him off. "Malfoy- look-"

"I think that after this morning we can assume our relationship has moved past last names…Hermione."

Hermione swallowed as her cheeks grew even hotter. He was still stepping over to her and she stumbled over her words for a brief second before she gathered herself. "Look, Malfoy-"

"Draco."

"Draco. Last night was-"

"The best blow-job I've ever had."

"A big mistake." Hermione continued. "I can't-"

"Wait to get back into my bed tonight."

"No. Would you just let me-"

"Let me tell you about tonight's lesson. Your sweet arse is going to burn for me."

Hermione took in a deep breath and shoved the terror back down into her stomach. Malfoy was a few steps in front of her when she screamed out, "Emerald!"

Malfoy froze for a second before a slow smile spread across his face. "The safe word only works when we're in bed sweet."

"Malfoy-"

"Draco." he corrected.

"For Merlin's sake, Draco, fine! Look last night wasn't me- it was wrong and I can't do this with you…It's not normal. You need to find someone else- I can't, I won't do this with you."

Her chest was heaving by the time she finished and she watched Malfoy study her with panicked eyes.

"I'll tell Hamilton to set an extra place setting for dinner tonight. You'll be joining me in the main dining room."

Hermione shook her head. "I would really rather eat in my room."

Malfoy's eyes flashed dangerously. "I'm sure you would. But this isn't negotiable."

Hermione thrust her chin in the air. "What does that mean?"

"It means that you'll be joining me for dinner if you expect me to continue to allow you to go through my family's heirlooms."

"You're blackmailing me?" she spat out.

"I prefer to think of it as offering incentive."

"I refuse to…to become your whore so I can do my job! You're disgusting!"

Malfoy stepped up to her and Hermione shrank back against the door. "You might want to watch how you speak to me if you don't want me to bend you over my knee. If you had listened correctly, you would realise I was asking you to join me for dinner, not asking you to get in my bed." He bit out.

Hermione swallowed but refused to back down. "I don't want you." She whispered.

Malfoy's eyes blazed angrily before his head descended. His kiss was harsh and punishing…and it had Hermione's heart threatening to break out of her chest in three seconds flat. When he pulled back, Hermione's eyes refused to open.

"Lie to yourself all you want sweetheart. But _don't_ lie to me. I know what you want. I know what you desire. I know what makes your heart race and your pussy pulse. I know what thoughts run through your mind and cause your pretty cheeks to blush. And I plan on giving it to you. I plan on making you scream for me…beg for me…And you will. And I won't need to _blackmail_ you into it."

Hermione's eyes popped open and her head swam. Desire was pumping through her body and yet a small muted voice in her head was still whispering no.

"I eat dinner early. Six-thirty. Don't make me come and get you sweet. Believe me; you're not ready for it."

And he apparated out.

Hermione collapsed against the door. She swallowed painfully as she struggled to wet her dry mouth with her parched tongue. Breathing in and out loudly, she struggled to get her body working again. Fine trembles had her body shaking and she staggered over to the chair by the desk and slumped over in it. Her head fell forward and hit the desk. The cool wood soothed her hot forehead and she sighed out at the feeling.

She would go to the dinner…and she would be perfectly polite. The perfect guest. But this was one guest who wasn't going to join the Master's bed.

Hermione repeated the vow to herself and then she prayed for the strength to keep it.

ooo

When Hamilton came to show her the way to the main dining room, Hermione should have been calm and collected. After all, it was what she had practiced for hours on end after she had run back to her bedroom. There had been an initial panic when she'd realised she had nothing appropriate to wear bar her T-shirt, jumpers and jeans and she had briefly thought about transfiguring her existing clothes to something fancier. But then she'd decided against it.

She didn't want Malfoy getting any ideas and if she was honest with herself, wearing her normal clothes would be comforting. The last thing she wanted was something else to worry about and she would be worried if she wore a dress with Malfoy's roving eyes.

Stay calm and professional, she told herself as she took one last look at herself in the mirror. She moved to open the door to let Hamilton in.

You're here to do a job and that's all. You can survive one meal with Malfoy as long as you cut off his funny business from the beginning and stick to safe topics. Topics such as the weather and the latest Quidditch scores. She may not enjoy the game but after years of spending most of her free time with three best friends whose lives seemed to revolve around the sport, she had picked up enough to hold her own in a conversation.

Dread filled her steadily as she made her way to the door. Giving Hamilton a polite smile, she followed him as he led her to Malfoy. He said nothing as he led her into the depths of hell but Hermione was glad at not having to make chit-chat. She had to concentrate. She had to have her wits together if she was going to get through dinner with the devil.

A devil that seemed to have no qualms about tempting her to give up her soul to him.

ooo

When they reached the doors that held the main dining room, Hamilton paused. Turning to face her, he gave her a bolstering smile that did nothing for her nerves before bowing once and apparating out.

Hermione took in an extra second to take in a deep breath before she pushed the doors open and stepped inside. The room was as she had expected; decadent and decorated in an old fashioned way that did nothing to stop it from looking dark and cold. The huge table that ran the length of the room didn't help matters. Calculating the number of chairs the table could seat, her eyes went from one end of the table to the other.

Her eyes fell on Malfoy. He was seated at the head of the table and was looking at her with scrutinising eyes. Seeing the place setting on the seat to his left, Hermione walked towards him slowly. He stood from his seat as she made her way over to him.

"I'm glad you decided to join me."

Hermione scoffed mentally as she narrowed her eyes. "You didn't exactly leave me much choice, Malfoy."

"I believe I told you to call me Draco." he countered.

Hermione didn't reply as she walked around him and took her seat.

After a few silent minutes, Malfoy broke the silence. "How is your work progressing?"

Hermione merely stared at him. Really? This was really how he was going to do this? Just pretend that this afternoon, Merlin _this morning_, hadn't occurred? Well fine, Hermione humphed mentally. The mantra she'd been repeating earlier on in the day ran through her head once more.

"The work is going well. I didn't realise how much there was to get through. I think it's going to take me until past the New Year."

"I hadn't realised you had a deadline for the project."

Hamilton entered the room with their food and Hermione fidgeted until he'd uncovered the plates and left the room again.

"I don't have a deadline per se. I had hoped to be finished by Christmas."

Malfoy didn't reply to her words and the silence stretched uncomfortably. Hermione found herself waiting until he'd picked up his knife and fork before she picked up hers. As Malfoy speared a piece of chicken and brought it to his lips, Hermione wondered if they were going to spend the entire dinner eating in silence.

Thank Merlin.

Malfoy took a sip of wine before he turned his head to face her. Hermione quickly swallowed her mouthful of food before holding her breath.

"Have you found anything of value?"

"It's all valuable. Some in terms of money and others in history."

Malfoy flicked his eyes over her face before he turned to stare ahead again. Hermione continued resolutely. "I've managed to study a few of the vases and paintings in the first room along with some of the jewellery." She said almost grudgingly.

"I would have thought the library would have been your first choice."

Hermione remembered their first encounter in the library and the memory caused her to flush.

"If I started in the library then I wouldn't get around to doing any work."

Malfoy turned to face her when she said the words and he gave her a look that caused her to look away from him and back down at her food.

"So the thought of spending time in my library entices you more than spending time in my bed does it? I'll have to remedy that before the night is over."

Hermione froze. Looking back up at Malfoy with shocked eyes, she dropped her cutlery before moving away from him in her seat.

"Don't." she told him strongly.

"Why not?"

"Because."

"Because what Hermione?"

"I told you no. I don't want it."

"And I told you not to lie to me."

"Malfoy I came here to work…not to…not for that."

"Who's saying you can't have both?"

"I am."

"And we've already deduced that you're a little liar who's begging for her next spanking."

"I am not," she said despite the moisture gathering between her thighs. "I said no!"

"And I heard you. But that isn't what you were saying this morning."

Hermione gasped. "I told you that this morning was a mistake."

"A mistake you'll be making again. Multiple times if I have anything to do with it."

"I don't have to listen to this!" Hermione snapped as she threw her napkin down on the table. Scraping her chair back, she made to stand. Malfoy's hand clamped down on her wrist before she could even carry out the latter part of the intended action.

"Sit back down." He ordered.

Hermione gritted her teeth. "Let go of me." She said as she tried to pull her hand away.

His grip on her tightened. "I said sit- back- down."

The dark trace in his steel tone had Hermione swallowing nervously as her legs collapsed from under her.

"There's a good girl." Malfoy said as he stroked her wrist gently a few times before letting go. When he noticed she hadn't resumed eating in the next few moments he spoke, "Eat your dinner. You're recovering from an illness. You need the strength."

Hermione could barely get her brain in gear to remind herself to breathe in, let alone eat. Mechanically, she cut a piece of meat and brought it to her mouth. It tasted of sawdust. She stopped her chewing when Malfoy sighed loudly beside her.

"I wanted this time to be spent allowing you to become more comfortable with me. You make me lose my mind." He said as if his loss of control and inability to control his mouth were somehow her fault.

Hermione said nothing and Malfoy sighed again as he sat back in his chair, wineglass in hand.

"I know you have reservations about me."

Hermione scoffed mentally. No kidding.

"So ask me your questions."

Hermione stared at him. "Pardon me?" she asked, unsure if she had heard him correctly.

"Ask me anything to alleviate your worries and I will answer you as best I can."

So many questions buzzed through her mind but Hermione had no idea how to ask them. As she trawled through them she saw Malfoy lift a single, pale eyebrow.

She took in a deep breath, "What happened to you?"

"You'll have to be more specific." His tone made it clear there was something he didn't want to talk about and for a second, Hermione thought about merely dismissing her question. But then something stopped her. He'd said he'd answer her questions and she had a feeling he wouldn't have extended the invitation lightly.

And so she swallowed before asking her question again. "What happened to you during Azkaban?"

He shifted in his chair, his face turning away from her slightly and Hermione realised something with a jolt. She had been seated on the side of the table so that she wouldn't be able to see his scars.

"I assume you mean my face?"

Hermione nodded silently as an unrecognisable feeling pumped through her. Pity, sympathy and something else entirely.

Malfoy's fingers came up unconsciously, as if he was going to trace the marks before he caught himself and dropped his hand back down to the armrest. "It occurred a few days before I was due to be released." He said with an air of nonchalance that Hermione saw through easily. "One of my father's old Death Eater friends didn't like the fact I was getting out earlier than him."

"You know who did it?"

Malfoy nodded sharply once.

"How…how did it happen? Wands are banned."

Malfoy smiled darkly. "And so are a whole cohort of other effects, but that doesn't stop them being traded around in exchange for other things."

"What things?"

"Wands. Drugs. Sex."

Hermione breathed in tightly as he said the last word. "Sex?" she whispered out loud.

Once again, Malfoy nodded once.

"Did- Did y-you ever-" Hermione stopped herself before she could complete her sentence. Shaking her head, she moved on. "How come you still have the marks? Shouldn't they have healed fully by now?"

"Have you ever seen the inside of Azkaban?"

Hermione shook her head.

"The majority of the witches and wizards in there are insane. Their screams echo around the place day in, day out. The Dementors and guards grow used to them- they can tune them out. The day I was cursed was just another day where one more wizard was shouting out. By the time I was found, some of the tissue had begun healing in a non-magical manner, hence the scars. And to answer your other question…no, I didn't trade anything for sex during my time there."

Hermione found herself breathing out a sigh of relief at his words; glad that someone she knew hadn't been degraded in that way.

"Eat." Malfoy stated and Hermione looked back down at her untouched food. She forked another piece of chicken into her mouth and quickly chewed and swallowed.

"What happened to your family?"

"My father has a lifelong sentence. He's still in there, screaming like a madman." He joked caustically. Hermione didn't laugh. "My mother moved to France."

"Do you still see her?"

"Rarely."

"What about your friends?" she asked as an unwanted blush rose to her cheeks as her mind jumped to Zabini.

"No."

"No?"

"No, I don't have contact with him since I was released from Azkaban."

Hermione noted the fact Malfoy had said _him_ and not them. Surely he had more than one friend…but as she cast her mind back to Hogwarts, she could only ever remember him and Zabini together. She discarded Crabbe, Merlin rest his soul, and Goyle for the goons they were.

"Why don't you see him anymore? You seemed…close."

Malfoy stared at her silently before speaking. "Ask me another question."

Hermione frowned. "…You said you would answer my questions."

He didn't seem happy about the point. Hermione didn't push him further, hoping and believing that he wouldn't renege on his promise.

"I couldn't be in his life anymore." He finally said.

Hermione's frown grew deeper. "I don't understand."

Malfoy sighed before taking a large gulp of wine. Hermione watched his throat muscles ripple as they swallowed.

"Do you remember Pansy Parkinson?"

Hermione nodded.

"It was complicated."

"…Tell me."

Malfoy didn't reply and after waiting patiently for a few moments, Hermione slumped in her chair when she realised he wasn't going to answer. "If you're not going to answer my questions then I don't see the purpose of my being here. You keep expecting me trust you when it's obvious you don't trust me in return." She said as she begun to stand again.

Once more, Malfoy's hand covered her own, only this time it wasn't a harsh hold. Just a gentle placing of his palm over the back of her hand.

"I was betrothed to Pansy Parkinson from when we were young children."

Hermione sat back down. "I didn't know that." She said. She remembered how close Malfoy and Parkinson had been during Hogwarts, their tumultuous relationship being continuously on and off during their later years. But then she realised how many other witches Malfoy had apparently slept with during that time.

"I thought Pureblood betrothal contracts contained a vow of fidelity."

"For the witches they do… not for the wizards."

Hermione opened her mouth to state the injustice of it all but Malfoy cut her off before she began. "I know it's not fair sweet but that's the way it is."

Hermione harrumphed, unimpressed. "Go on." She said through her teeth.

"As you can probably remember, I wasn't very bothered about the fact that Pansy was one day going to be my wife." Hermione nodded her head tightly. "I was never attracted to her in a sexual way. We tried to have a relationship a few times during Hogwarts but it never worked out. I resented the fact that my future wife had been chosen for me and at the time, I punished Pansy for it. I realise how unfair I was being now. Pansy was on the same broomstick as me and she began resenting me for keeping her from having any relationships and eventually… from keeping her from the one wizard she did love."

"Who?" Hermione asked.

"Blaise." Draco said simply.

Hermione's eyebrows rose at the name. "Zabini?" she confirmed.

Malfoy nodded and Hermione fell back in her seat. Wow, when Malfoy had said it was complicated he had been right.

"So what happened?"

"For a while- nothing. We had no way to nullify the contract and when I was sentenced to Azkaban, Pansy was forced to remain celibate and wait for me. Or I thought she would be."

"She wasn't?"

"She moved to Italy after the War and met up with Blaise who was also living there."

"I thought she couldn't break the vow in the contract. Wouldn't she then be sentenced to Azkaban too?"

"She and Blaise didn't have a sexual relationship. At first they were friends but eventually Blaise began to return Pansy's feelings. Although I know he would have tried to hide them."

"Because of you," Hermione stated for herself. "So he fell in love with her. What then - are they together now?"

Malfoy nodded.

"How?"

"They found a way to get the contract nullified."

"How."

"By falsely declaring me insane."

"What?" Hermione gasped.

Malfoy smiled wryly. "It isn't as bad as it sounds. Blaise came to visit me in Azkaban and told me about his relationship with Pansy and their plan. At first…I didn't know how to feel. I was angry- though I had no right to be. I hadn't exactly treated Pansy well."

And though he didn't say it out loud, Hermione knew exactly why Malfoy had felt angry. Pansy was the one constant in his life, she was the one thing he could be sure wouldn't have changed in his life when he was released from Azkaban. And Blaise had been his best friend and he was taking that away from him.

"What made you agree to it?"

"Pansy came to see me. She made things quite clear on how our relationship would be if I didn't agree to her plan, especially after all the things I'd done during Hogwarts. And I realised that she deserved this. They both did."

Something inside Hermione broke for Malfoy. "You don't see them anymore." She stated.

"When I was released from Azkaban, Blaise was waiting for me outside the gates. He told me that I should come to Italy with him, get out of England and the paparazzi wanting a piece of me."

"What happened?"

"Blaise took me to the home he shared with Pansy and she refused to have me stay with them."

"But if it wasn't for you, they wouldn't even be together!"

"Exactly. I had pretended insanity to break the contract. I could just as easily change my mind and go to the Ministry and tell them the truth. Blaise and Pansy weren't married yet and they would have been forced to break up. Pansy was scared of me."

"But surely if you'd just told her that you weren't going to do that, then-"

Malfoy shook his head. "Pansy wasn't just scared of me because of that."

"…What then?"

"She'd gone through Hogwarts loving Blaise and yet being forced to stand by and watch him sleep with whichever witch caught his eye…sometimes with me."

Hermione flushed red hot and squirmed in her seat. "You thought they were rumours but Pansy knew the truth. She knew how sexual Blaise is and meanwhile she had only been kissed half-heartedly a couple of times by me, let alone done anything else with a wizard. After years of waiting she finally had Blaise's love and she didn't want anyone else in their relationship."

Reality dawned on Hermione. Malfoy continued.

"She was afraid that Blaise would ask her to allow me to join them in the bedroom and if she refused, then he would think badly of her."

For the first time in her life Hermione found herself feeling sorry for the dark-haired witch who'd been so cruel to her during their school years. When she saw Malfoy staring at her she blushed.

"Oh." She said ineloquently, not knowing what else to say.

"I came back to the Manor and that's that."

"You don't see Zabini anymore?" Hermione asked gently.

Malfoy took another sip of wine and shrugged as if the answer meant nothing to him.

"He visited a few times in the first year after I was released but the dynamics in our relationship had changed. He had to put Pansy first and I understand that."

There was silence for a few moments after that. Malfoy stared into his wineglass and Hermione stared at Malfoy. Now that she knew about his past, he seemed…human for the first time.

"Your dinner's cold. I'll call Hamilton to get you a fresh plate."

"Oh no it's fine, I'm not that hungry."

Regardless, Malfoy called Hamilton's name. There was silence as Hamilton cleared both their plates and put dessert in front of them. He gave Hermione a smile before apparating out.

"Do you have any more questions?" Malfoy asked softly.

Hermione hesitated. She had many more questions but she felt as if she was prying into his life when she had no right to. And then there was the fact that she wasn't sure she wanted the answer to some of her questions.

"Ask them. We may as well get everything out in the open now…and then we'll be able to _get_ _down_ to the fun things."

Hermione choked on a sip of wine and Malfoy chuckled as he pushed her napkin towards her. Wiping her mouth and her eyes, she glared at him.

"I won't be _getting down_ anytime soon, Malfoy." She told him huffily.

He smiled. "I'll be quite happy to do the honours this time. I've wanted to eat you out until you come on my tongue for a long time sweetheart…And just what is it going to take for you to call me Draco?"

More glaring as she tried to control the burning in her cheeks.

"Ask your questions." He repeated again.

"…What am I to you?"

Malfoy seemed taken aback at the question. His finger played against the rim of his wineglass as he stared at her. "What do you mean?"

"I mean what am I to you?" Hermione repeated. "Is this a game to you…a bit of fun-"

"No."

"Then what? I don't understand why you would want to…with me."

"I've wanted you for a long time sweet."

Hermione sighed annoyed at his answer. "That doesn't explain anything! You hated me at Hogwarts- No- don't pretend otherwise. And then suddenly you wanted me? It doesn't make sense."

"There's a thin line between love and hate. Isn't that how the Muggle saying goes?"

"Are you telling me that you love me?" Hermione asked incredulously.

"You…intrigued me. For the first few years at Hogwarts it annoyed me that you wanted nothing to do with me."

"And that I was a mudblood."

"And that you were _muggle-born_." Malfoy corrected gently. "I couldn't understand why you captured my attention. And later on I grew angry at how much I wanted you when I shouldn't have given you a second thought…Blaise convinced me that I should forget you, but I couldn't…and so one night we compromised."

"Compromised?"

"Brown." Hermione said nothing and Malfoy continued. "Blaise wanted to fuck her so it was no hardship and she was a Gryffindor…"

"Oh." Hermione repeated as she realised where he was going with this.

"Blaise got his and I got mine. I pretended she was you…We would have left it there but then at breakfast the next morning- you looked at me with arousal in your pretty eyes and I was hooked once more."

Hermione burned at hearing Malfoy's words. "I heard her talking to Parvati about what you…about what had happened."

Malfoy smiled. "I had forgotten how much of a gossip she was…although this time it worked in my favour."

"If you…wanted me, then why didn't you…at Hogwarts."

"Because you were too innocent. Fuck, you're still too innocent but I can't wait anymore."

"You still haven't answered my question."

"I don't want any other woman sweetheart."

"…What about other men?"

Malfoy smiled devilishly. "You've been thinking about it."

Hermione didn't even bother lying to him anymore.

"…I don't think you understand why we did it." he said. "I don't love Blaise and I've never had sexual feelings for him."

"But you were sleeping with him?"

"No. I was sleeping with a witch who was sleeping with him at the same time."

"I don't understand."

"I know you don't sweet. And that's what makes me such a corruptive bastard for going through with this."

Hermione gritted her teeth. "Tell me."

"If I decide to share you, it would be on my terms. I would be giving the orders and everything that occurred would bring you more pleasure than you could take. It's all about your pleasure."

Hermione looked away. "I don't think I can do that." She admitted, knowing that her words were giving away the fact that she might be able to do the rest of it.

"You want it sweet. I know you've thought of it. You made it obvious how much it aroused you when you looked at me that day in the Great Hall."

"Thinking about it is different to the reality."

"I'm not going to spring anything on you until I know you can handle it. We'll proceed slowly."

Hermione was struggling to control her breathing. His words were terrifying her, as was the realisation that she could feel herself giving in. It wasn't right!

"I-I can't. If someone found out-"

"What would they say? I don't talk about what happens in my bedroom. And neither will any man who might join us."

Hermione swallowed. "…I'm scared." She admitted out loud.

Malfoy stood from his chair and Hermione watched him warily. Reaching out for her hands, he pulled her from her seat gently. When he wrapped an arm around her, Hermione knew what he was planning to do and she closed her eyes as she felt the pull of apparation in her stomach.

When she opened her eyes next, they were back in Malfoy's bedroom. Hermione's terror dialled up a notch and she pulled away from him.

"I thought we were going to talk."

"No- you were about to run from me."

Hermione opened her mouth to deny it but found she couldn't.

"Why don't you take a seat on the bed?" he suggested.

Malfoy reached out for his wand and the restraints she had been tied to earlier, appeared on each bed post.

Hermione sucked in a breath. "No ties."

"Yes ties."

"I didn't like it."

"You liked it plenty. Be careful about what you claim you don't like from this point forward. You might be denying yourself pleasures that you'll have to beg me for later on."

Hermione's mouth snapped shut but still, she refused to move to the bed. She had no choice when Malfoy walked towards her and she backed away from him until the back of her knees hit the mattress and a small push from Malfoy had her dropping on her arse. She immediately scrambled towards the headboard.

"Malfoy, you said little steps."

He stepped forward and leaned towards her with obvious deliberateness, amusement glinting in his grey eyes.

"You said you would answer my questions." Hermione pointed out desperately.

"Ask them."

Hermione's mind went blank and she struggled to even think up a suitable question let alone one of the dozens she'd had running though her head twenty minutes previously.

"I take it question time is over." Malfoy said as he reached out a hand to wrap around her wrist. He traced the blue veins of her inner wrist before he raised her arm slowly. When it was in the vicinity of the leather tie, the bond magically wound itself around her wrist.

"Good," Malfoy continued when she didn't reply. "Now it's time for my reward."

The rest of her limbs were tied to the bed posts in the next second and Hermione took in a tight breath. The butterflies in her stomach didn't ease as she had hoped they would have and a bundle of nervous energy had her giggling out loud. Malfoy raised an eyebrow at the sound before smiling and leaning his head down to her lips.

"Malfoy!" Hermione said in a bid to stop him.

He just continued descending. "Draco." he said simply before he kissed her. Hermione breathed in his scent as his tongue entered her mouth and tasted her. Fire shot straight down into her belly before exploding between her thighs.

Squirming against the bindings, she kissed Draco back hungrily as her body rose of its own accord to press against him firmly.

As he lifted his head from hers, Hermione moaned. She heard him chuckle and forced her eyes to remain shut.

"Do you remember what I told you about our second lesson?" he asked huskily into her ear.

Hermione's eyes popped open.

"_Your sweet arse is going to burn for me." _

Hermione bit her lip to keep from crying out loud at the memory of his words. Her sudden intake of breath had Malfoy pulling back to look at her with a smug smile curling at his lips.

"I see you do. Good girl." He said as he stood.

Once again, their clothes were magicked away leaving them both naked…and him aroused. Hermione dropped her eyes to his impressive erection and her pussy throbbed invitingly in response. Memories of that morning came rushing back and though she shouldn't even be thinking of the action, her mouth burned to taste him again.

Malfoy growled at the arousal he evidently saw in her eyes. Leaning over her, he sat between her open legs and lifted the bottom half of her body up until she lay over his thighs. She felt his cock rub against the lips of her vagina and her womb convulsed. Malfoy's hands spread across her stomach as if he was branding her before he rubbed them up and down her torso. They twirled around her bellybutton, they cupped her heavy breasts and they pinched the tight buds of her nipples.

"Please Draco…" she cried.

"Have you ever been fucked in your arse before sweetheart?"

His crude question had Hermione gasping in inexperienced anticipation as she shook her head from side to side. Her answer must have been pleasing to him as he rewarded her by pushing two of his fingers into her wet pussy. They both groaned out loud as the muscles in the tight channel briefly resisted his intrusion before wrapping to embed his fingers inside her.

"So fucking tight." Draco rasped as he pulled his fingers out slowly and watched with fascinated eyes as he thrust them back in again. "Your virgin arse is going to be even tighter." He growled before removing his fingers. "I'll have to get you ready before you can take me in you."

Gently lifting and placing her body back on the bed fully, he stood and moved to reach for his wand. Waving his hand, he lifted his newly conjured items and Hermione took them in with dazed eyes. She had never seen them before but she instantly knew what they were.

Her breathing got that much faster as Draco neared her again. Without a word, the restraints loosened around her limbs enough for Draco to easily turn her body until she was lying on her stomach again.

"Sit up on your knees." He instructed and after a moment and with Draco's hands helping to arrange her as he wanted, Hermione jerkily followed his instructions. Her arse rose in the cool air and she shivered in apprehension.

Both of Draco's palms landed against her bared cheeks as he rubbed sensually. "Such a pretty arse…I can't wait to make it mine."

Hermione felt his fingers spread her cheeks and she buried her face in the duvet as his probing fingers found what they were looking for. Her body tightened as she felt his fingers trace and rub the entrance to her back channel.

She tensed automatically.

"…Relax."

Hermione would have laughed out loud had her mouth not been buried in the mattress. He wanted her to relax! Did he realise how impossible that was?

His fingers retreated and when Hermione next felt his finger, it was cool with lubrication. He coated her with the cold gel before slightly pushing his finger into the puckered hole. Hermione gasped at the shocked pleasure she felt. As he wriggled his finger in further, her muscles burned and she cried out loud as he pushed further.

"Draco…"

"Easy sweet." His words sounded as if they came through gritted teeth. "Merlin, do you know how good you feel around my finger Hermione? Imagine how snugly you would caress my cock when I take you here."

Hermione cried out loud as she imagined just that. The excitement she heard in his voice had her trembling and gasping in quick, shallow breaths.

His finger twisted inside her, stretching her muscles and sending small flares of erotic pain up her spine causing her to whimper out loud. Merlin, she could barely take his finger inside of her, how was she going to take anymore.

"So hot." Draco rasped out as he pulled his finger out slowly. She could feel her anal muscles refusing to bend and ease the hold they had on him. "Merlin, Hermione your arse is as stubborn as you are." He laughed hoarsely as he finally managed to remove his finger fully.

"I'm going to put the plug in you now sweet." He informed heatedly.

Hermione immediately cried out in distress as she remembered the brief view she had received of the conjured butt plug. It hadn't been very long but it had been a damn lot thicker than Draco's finger. She had thought it before and now she knew- Draco was going to tear her apart.

The arousal she had felt with his finger tipped over into wild panic as she felt the curved edge of the plug against her tiny hole.

"No, Draco. Stop. I can't." she said as her hands began straining against the restraints.

"It's okay sweet." Draco soothed as he rubbed the plug against the hole. "I know you're scared."

"I can't do this."

"Yes you can. Yes you can." He said gently as the fingers of his other reached under her until they encountered the wetness of her weeping pussy. His fingers pushed in and Hermione pushed downwards automatically.

"That's it sweet. Relax for me. It'll burn. But you'll love it. I know you'll love it."

Hermione's head thrashed against the duvet as she felt the plug enter her. As the thickness increased, pain speared through her body. "Draco, I can't."

Her body tensed and her muscles immediately tightened against the plug, refusing it entry into her body.

"You can do this sweet. I know you can. Just a little bit more." Draco said as he pushed against her tight muscles. The darkness in his voice excited and frightened her at the same time.

The fingers in her pussy that had been thrusting in and out slowly, abruptly gained speed and Hermione shuddered. Her muscles immediately began to relax as her mind's attention was diverted to the ripples beginning to spread through her womb.

"Oh Merlin. Oh Merlin, Draco." she cried out. Her voice held a trace of begging but she wasn't sure what she was begging him more. He took the choice out of her hands by pumping his fingers into her with furious speed whilst the fingers on his other hand diligently pushed the plug into her arse.

Hermione felt her anal muscles being forced to surrender and accept the plug but the burning continued to rob her breath, leaving her dazed and panting. After what felt like an eternity, Hermione felt the last inch of the plug being pressed into her and when Draco let go of the small handle, her butt cheeks snapped back to cover the plug from his eyes.

"Can you feel it inside you?" Draco asked her hotly as he leaned over her butt and her back until he lay over her.

The feel of his thighs hitting the back of her arse as he moved forward and back slowly had her crying out.

"Do you feel how constricted your pussy is for me now? The plug's taking the space, pushing your muscles closer together. Merlin you've gotten so tight I can barely move my fingers." And he spoke the truth. He could hardly move his fingers out of her and in the end he took to scissoring them inside her instead. "Imagine how tight it's going to be with my cock in your arse and another man's cock in your pussy."

His words had her frantically bucking and grinding against his fingers as she soaked his hand with her juices. She exploded unexpectedly, her body going taut and her mouth crying out loudly. Her orgasm ripped through her body, leaving her struggling to breathe and stay up on her knees. The dark words Draco was whispering in her ear muted as the sound of her blood pumping through her body overtook everything. Spasms spun through her, causing her to shudder and through the endless daze, she heard Draco's harsh groans in her ear.

Merlin- had he come too? The thought flitted out of her mind as a second wave had her clamping down even further on Draco's fingers. With her heart threatening to go into cardiac arrest, she finally felt herself calming down. Her vaginal muscles relaxed around Draco's fingers and they slipped out of her easily, landing with a heavy thud on the bed.

As her body began winding down and her head grew dizzy, Hermione felt Draco's heart pumping rapidly against her bare back and when the restraints disappeared, she slumped front first onto the mattress with Draco's body dropping down on top of hers.

With her head tilted to the side, Hermione gulped in breaths as she savoured the heavy heat of Draco's body against his back. He moved to her side all too soon and the cold air hitting her back had goose bumps forming over the skin.

Not wanting to move but wanting to see Draco's face, Hermione turned her head to the other side with great difficulty. Draco's limbs seemed just as heavy as hers as he lifted the hair off her face with a shaking hand. She answered his satiated smile with one of her own as he pulled her body closer to him.

The action reminded her of the butt plug still inserted deep within her as it rubbed against her inner muscles in a pleasurable sting. When Draco made no move to remove it from her, Hermione grew embarrassed. Burrowing her head into the crook of Draco's shoulder so he wouldn't be able to see her face, she asked him about it.

She felt his chuckle as his hand came down to spank her arse absent-mindedly. There were more delicious tingles and Hermione gasped as her muscles tightened.

Despite the early hour and the pleasure tingling through her, she felt her eyes become heavy.

"Get a few hours of sleep sweetheart. You'll need it." Draco said as his hand rubbed up and down her spine soothingly.

"But what about the…" she petered off, her mouth unable to say the word butt plug out loud.

"Leave it. Your arse is tight sweet. It needs to become accustomed to being entered otherwise I won't ever be able to feel it clench around my cock." Draco said as his own voice became heavy with sleep. "And I've waited too long to not have all of you."

Those were the last words Hermione heard before she drifted off into pleasant dreams.

ooo

How many hours later, she didn't know but Hermione woke sleepily to the feel of Draco already pumping inside her. It took her a while to realise that the ridges she was feeling inside her wasn't his cock but a dildo. Her brow furrowed as she felt his erection pressing against her back and she squirmed against him.

The hold Draco's arm had on her tightened and prevented her from moving. Drowsily, she moaned out loud.

"No…you." She managed to say.

Draco understood her muzzy words and he moved his head to clamp his teeth down on the lobe of her ear. "Not yet." He said simply as he continued his pumping.

Hermione groaned. "Yes…you." She said stubbornly. He was already aroused so why wasn't he inside her?

"When I enter that sweet pussy for the first time…when I feel and see your lips swallow me up greedily, I want the both of us to be fully awake and alert."

Hermione moaned lightly at his words and despite his hold, she pushed back against him. She heard him suck in a breath sharply.

"I'm awake." She said breathlessly.

"Not awake enough."

Draco's hand spread across her lower stomach as he unhurriedly continued driving the dildo in and out of her. His slow movements had her moving her hips in a bid to hurry up and reach her orgasm.

"Uh-uh." Draco told her as he all but ground to a halt. "No moving."

Hermione shook her head and urged him to move again. When he didn't she clenched her muscles around the dildo repeatedly.

Draco laughed huskily when he realised what she was doing. "If you don't stop that I'll end this and you can go back to sleep unsatisfied."

Hermione knew better than to think he was joking and with much difficulty, she forced her muscles to remain lax.

"Good girl." Draco said as he began moving his hand once more. "Now just lie here and relax. Let me do all the work."

His words were like a drug. She felt her body obeying and slacking against him. She had never had such languishing sex before. She'd had two previous boyfriends who she'd loved enough to sleep with and though there had been foreplay…there'd never been anything like this before.

The slowness was killing her. For the first time in her life, she just lay there and did nothing to reach for her orgasm. It crept up on her slowly and every time she felt it beginning to strike, Draco pulled back, leaving her teetering on the edge unable to plunge into the dazed abyss waiting her.

Eventually she couldn't take it anymore and it was only when she began pleading with every ounce of magic in her body that Draco finally pushed her off the edge of the cliff. Her shudders and quiet cries were stifled by Draco's body and his mouth as he caught her from falling.

As she caught her breath, she felt Draco's hands playing idly with her body. His stroking moved from the front of her body to the back as she turned around to face him. He seemed happy enough to stroke her but there was unsated lust in his eyes. His erection poked her stomach and with a nervous hand, Hermione wrapped her fingers around him.

She had never done this to a wizard before and she kept still for a moment, wondering on how to proceed. Draco placed his hand on top of hers and squeezed until she was holding him as he wanted. And then he applied pressure, guiding her hand along the full length of him, showing her thumb how to spread the pre-cum that had beaded on the tip of his cock along the rest of him.

The act was probably the least sexually intimate out of everything they had done and yet as Hermione stared into Draco's eyes, she felt more emotionally connected to him than she had ever done before.

Moving her hands over his cock and cupping the tight sac underneath, she saw his eyes turn from a stormy grey to a pitch black. His head moved forward suddenly and he pressed a harsh kiss against her lips, his tongue taking what he wanted for her before Hermione felt his body tremble. His kisses grew fiercer as his shudders increased and then he pulled his head back and groaned loudly as if he had taken a bite of something delicious.

Hermione saw his eyes roll back in his head as she felt the first jet of semen burst from him. And then another. And another. And another. Her hand continued with its movements and she watched fascinated with a powerful feeling rising from her stomach as he lost himself by something _she_ was doing to him.

He fell onto his back as he came down from his high and his penis slipped out of Hermione's hold. She continued to watch Draco with satisfaction running through her veins as he gulped in breaths of air.

After a few moments, he turned back to his side to face her. Her moisture coated hand and the sheets were non-verbally scourgified and Draco pulled her towards him. He placed a light kiss on her lips, merely brushing his lips across hers rather than pressing before he closed his eyes. Hermione moved closer to him and dropped her head onto the space on the pillow next to his.

"You're going to be the death of me witch." She heard him say and she smiled, pleased with herself.

Sleep called to her again.

**ooooo**

Hours later, Hermione worked away silently in her workroom. Lunch had passed by an hour ago and to tell the truth, she had expected Draco to come and see her by now. Not that she wasn't glad that he hadn't. She had spent the last few hours reliving every memory of the night before…and this morning.

She'd woken to find herself lying not just in Draco's arms but sprawled over his body. He'd clasped her to him tightly, his arms criss-crossed around her back whilst his body heat seeped deliciously into her. Thankfully it seemed he wasn't aware of her precarious position and as she'd shifted around slightly in a bid to escape, his deep breaths had continued to hit her hairline.

Escape proved to be impossible and when she'd shifted a little too jarringly, Draco had jerked awake. It was also at that moment that Hermione realised the butt plug was still inside her. She'd dropped her head back down onto Draco's warm chest in mortification as his hands lifted her up his body slightly, causing her head to fall into the curve of his neck. His hands had skimmed down her back before they'd landed on her butt. He'd squeezed appreciatively before he'd slowly spread her legs and removed the plug from her.

Hermione was sure Draco would have continued their play further but the voice in her head had begun to rear its ugly head from the moment she had woken and when she'd finally lifted her head from Draco's shoulder it was evident from the stiffening of his body that he'd glimpsed the apprehension she'd tried to mask in her eyes. He'd removed his arms with a frown on his face and she'd quickly scrabbled over to her clothes that had been placed in a neat pile on the chair by the fireplace.

It was only when she was fully covered again that Hermione found herself being able to turn to face Draco. He was still lying on the bed, his head raised on his arm as he looked at her with narrow eyes. Hermione hadn't been able to help herself from dragging her eyes downwards to look over his exposed torso. The ropes of muscle on his stomach reminded her of when she'd run her hands over them and when she'd caught herself and flicked her eyes back up to Draco's to see if he'd noticed her obvious perusal, his eyes were flashing heatedly.

Hermione had quickly moved to the door and escape had been in sight but when she'd been about to twist the doorknob and leave, Draco had spoken.

"_I'll see you in a few hours." _

That was all he'd said and yet her body had immediately hummed to attention.

Hermione shook her head as she came out of her memories. She ignored the increased beating in her heart as she forced herself to concentrate on the matter at hand. She had managed to complete her notes on one of the many paintings in the room before she stood from her chair in order to stretch her legs. From her open door, she spotted the large doors of the library and she moved towards them.

She'd managed to get through half of the contents of her first workroom…didn't she deserve a reward? She'd answered the rhetorical question with a positive even before she'd taken her next breath and opening the doors to the library, she stepped inside.

As always it was so dark she could barely see anything. Waving her wand, she lit up the candles on the walls before walking along to the first aisle. Where in Merlin's name was all the light from the windows? She walked along the aisles and came across a huge window. Stunned, she looked at long black drape covering it.

With a puzzled brow, Hermione continued walking along until she found another window three aisles later. Like the one before, it was covered by a thick piece of black material.

More darkness, she thought with a humph. Draco may be happy living in such obscurity but she wasn't. Making up her mind and fully believing that she would be able to deal with the consequences if they arose, Hermione lifted her wand and spelled the material away from the window. It fell to reveal the glorious sunshine, along with a cauldron full of dust. Hermione quickly magicked that away before she breathed in. Absent-mindedly, she folded the cloth neatly with her wand.

The next five minutes were spent uncovering all the windows and removing the dust that had clung to them. Extinguishing the now unneeded candles, Hermione had to stifle her giddy laughter as her eyes took in the books and just how high the shelves went.

She was officially in heaven. The vastness of the library hit her full on and she wondered how in Merlin's name she was going to get through the work facing her. Briefly musing over whether she should accio every book of interest towards her, she dismissed the idea when a comical image entered her mind of her being buried under a sea of tomes.

She had no other choice but to trawl through the aisles one at a time. But as she lifted her head, she encountered another problem. Just how did she see the books on the higher shelves?

She spotted a small ladder which she supposed she could enlarge but then she would be forever climbing up and down the rungs as well as moving the ladder along the aisle. It would be so time consuming…along with the fact that she wasn't so comfortable with heights.

How did Draco do it? She pondered the question silently and grew more annoyed by the second as the answer eluded her. And then a thought entered her head and Hermione berated herself for not thinking it sooner. Of course Hamilton would know. He appeared seconds later.

"Yes Miss Granger?"

Hermione turned to face him with a smile. She watched him take in the light coming into the library with wide eyes. "I'm having a little problem."

Hamilton frowned as he turned his little head back to her. "How may Hamilton assist Miss Granger?"

"Do you know how Draco reaches the books on the higher shelves?" she asked him.

Hamilton nodded eagerly before he ran off without answering her. She waited impatiently for his return and was dismayed when he did. Eyeing the broomstick floating behind him warily, she sighed before accepting defeat.

"When Master Draco was a young boy, he used to fly up to the higher shelves." Hamilton supplied happily.

"And what about now?" She knew Draco's flying skills from Hogwarts were legendary, on par with Harry's, but it would still be a tight fit to manoeuvre around between the aisles, especially for an adult on a broomstick.

"Now Master Draco charms down the book he wants to read."

Another sigh. Of course he did. No one else other than her would probably want to browse through every book in this library from front to back cover. Taking a hold of the broomstick, she looked over it hesitantly. The one and only time she had been on one was in her seventh year and she, Harry and Ron were escaping the Fiendyfire in the Room of Requirement. Even then, Ron had been the one guiding her.

"Hamilton can call Master Draco…"

"No!" Hermione said loudly. Her voice echoed around the room.

Hamilton looked taken aback. "Sorry Miss Granger. Hamilton thought-"

"You thought what?" Hermione asked more gently this time when his sentence trawled off.

Hamilton looked at her uncertainly. "Miss Granger was not in her bedroom or her workrooms this morning when Hamilton was bringing her breakfast. Hamilton assumed she was with Master Draco."

Hermione flushed in embarrassment at his words but smiled tightly, neither refuting nor agreeing with his assumption. Instead, she frowned as she realised the opportunity she had. Keeping her tone particularly light, she spoke.

"Can I ask you a question about Draco?"

Hamilton nodded his head slowly.

"What was his life like?"

"Hamilton does not understand."

"I meant before the Battle at Hogwarts- I mean, I'm assuming you've been with the Malfoy family for a long time?" She said with a puzzled frown.

Hamilton stood up proudly. "Hamilton has been Master Draco's personal house elf ever since he was born."

"So you know him better than anyone." Hermione stated and Hamilton nodded. "What was he like as a child? Why is he living alone right now? Why live here? Where did everyone else go?"

"When the Dark Lord was staying at the Manor it was a very bad time. Many of Hamilton's friends were hurt. When the War ended, they left. Hamilton stayed for Master Draco."

"You call Voldemort the Dark Lord?" she asked casually.

Hamilton shivered as she said you-know-who's name. "We would get punished if we didn't call the bad wizard the Dark Lord."

Hermione had expected the answer. "I thought that house elves were only considered to be free of their Master's if they were willingly let go or offered a piece of clothing. Your friends were okay with leaving?"

"Hamilton's friends had Senior Master Malfoy and Mistress Malfoy to answer to. When Senior Master Malfoy was sentenced to Azkaban and Mistress Malfoy left, they were able to leave."

"Draco went to jail too. How come you didn't get to leave?"

"Hamilton would never leave. Malfoy Manor has been Hamilton's home and he has looked after Master Draco since he was a baby. Hamilton would never leave Master Draco. He protected Hamilton from the Dark Lord."

Hermione wanted to know more about that but had a feeling Hamilton wouldn't speak further on the matter. She tried her luck with another question.

"Draco told me his mother moved the France?"

"She moved to live with her cousin. Mistress Malfoy loved Master Draco very much but she didn't wait for him to be released from Azkaban."

"Why didn't Draco leave after he'd been released?"

Hamilton hesitated. "France would not allow him to enter the country."

"Oh." Hermione mulled over the new information. "…H-He told me about what happened with Zabini and Parkinson."

Hamilton looked up at her with surprise. "Master Draco talked about Miss Parkinson with Miss Granger?"

Hermione jerked her head once.

A beaming smile spread across Hamilton's face. "Hamilton knew Miss Granger coming to the Manor would be good!"

Hermione smiled self-consciously, glad that he thought so. Frankly, she still had her doubts.

"Evidently I'm not the only one who thinks so."

Hermione jumped slightly as she saw Draco standing a few feet away. Glancing down at Hamilton, she saw him hopping nervously from one foot to the other.

"Hello." She said stupidly in a bid to break the silence.

Draco lifted an eyebrow before nodding once at Hamilton. He immediately disapparated. Hermione swallowed uncomfortably.

"How long were you standing there?" she asked.

"Apparently not long enough."

Hermione bit her lip.

"If you had more questions I would have been happy to answer them."

Hermione looked at him warily. "I'm sorry." She said eventually. "I didn't think you'd mind me asking Hamilton about you. You're obviously close."

Draco said nothing and Hermione waited with bated breath. When he finally did speak, Hermione was grateful that there was a change in conversation. Not for long.

"I didn't realise I had given you permission to take the covering's off the windows." he asked the question as if expecting an answer but Hermione knew better.

"You didn't." she simply said before waiting to see…or hear his response. It was then that she realised that some of the coverings near to where Draco was standing had been replaced.

The flash in his eyes caused a satisfied smile to curve at the corners of her lips.

"I met Hamilton in the corridor. He mentioned you were having _difficulty_ in reaching the higher shelves." He eyed her body pointedly.

Hermione refused to rise to the bait. "Yes, I'm not able to see the books in order to study which ones I'll need to look at further."

He walked over to her and looked at the broom in her hand. "You don't seem to be having much success."

Hermione gritted her teeth. Draco may or may not have known it but he'd hit a sore spot of hers. In their first year at Hogwarts, when she'd been required to take flying lessons with Madame Hooch, she'd been the only one in the class unable to get the broom to lift for her. Which ultimately meant she'd been unable to fly through the rings in her final exam. Madame Hooch had taken pity on her but despite the extra lessons, she'd made no progress. In the end she'd been given the lowest mark possible in order to pass and had made a promise to Madame Hooch that she would never try out for the Gryffindor Quidditch Team lest anyone found out how terrible she was.

"Flying isn't my strongest ability." She said haughtily in response to Draco's words.

"I can see that."

Hermione's gritted teeth ground together. "Some pointers would be more helpful." She stated in an annoyed tone.

Draco looked at her before walking a few steps until he was stood in front of her. "Very well," he said. He took the broom from her hand and placed it by her feet. "Close your eyes."

Hermione knew what he was going to ask her to do and how pointless it was going to be. The broomstick was never going to lift for her. Not wanting to be humiliated in front of Draco, she lied. "I've tried that already."

"Try again." He said harshly.

Hermione narrowed her eyes but realised she had no choice but to follow his instructions.

"Now take in a deep breath and concentrate on the broom's energy."

Hermione took in an exaggerated deep breath before loudly exhaling.

"Concentrate!" Draco snapped.

She jumped. "I am!" She said.

"No you are not. You're thinking that this is useless because you've tried it already and it didn't work before." Hermione opened her eyes and watched him step forward. "You're thinking that if this didn't work for you before than it definitely won't work with _me _helping you…And you're thinking that there is no way in Merlin's balls that you're going to trust the broom to keep you safe."

Hermione gave him an annoyed stare as his true words hit home. Not that she would let him know that. "I'm trying." She repeated again.

"Not hard enough. A fear of falling is useless when you can place a cushioning charm on the ground beneath you."

At his words she snapped. "Don't mock my fears Malfoy. I haven't been going round forcing you to do something you're uncomfortable with!"

"_I_ am not the one who decided on flying as a solution to her problem ergo, I am not _forcing_ you to do anything."

Hermione couldn't argue with that but she still glared at Draco and humphed loudly.

"Are you ready to try again?"

Hermione took in a deep breath. "Yes." She hissed out.

"Very well. Close your eyes, take in a deep breath and concentrate."

After a few more minutes of nothing, Hermione let out an angry snarl. "It's not working!" she said as she picked up the broom from the floor just so it would actually move. If the window had been open, she would have flung the blasted thing out of the library.

"It's faulty!" she said as she held the broom out to Draco.

He had the audacity to look amused at her little tantrum. With a raised eyebrow, he took the broom from her hold and placed it back on the floor. Keeping his eyes on hers, he held out his hand and the broom instantly flew upwards.

Indignant, she let out another huff. "It's biased." She stated.

Draco sighed at her irrational words. "I see we're not going to get anywhere any time soon. Get on that table."

Hermione stopped in her rant at his strange order. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me. Get your sweet arse on the table."

Hermione's mind jumped to the most obvious conclusion and she scoffed out loud. "And just how is sleeping with me going to solve my problem?"

Draco's eyes narrowed at her words. Slithering forward, he hitched her off her feet and carried her over to the table, all the while ignoring her cries of anger. The punches she was delivering to his back seemed to have no effect on him whatsoever.

In response, he slapped her arse a few times in a row and she gasped at the light prickles of heat.

"Put me down, Draco!" she said loudly.

Draco deposited her on the table a few seconds later. She eyed him first with annoyance and then warily as he stepped back and lifted his wand.

"Trust me yet sweet?" he asked her.

Hermione was too worried about what he was planning to do anything other than tell the truth. "No."

He didn't look pleased at her answer but resigned as if that was what he had been expecting. Hermione actually felt guilt bubble in her stomach which rapidly evaporated when he looked at her with a smirk on his face. For a moment it was as if she was looking at the old Draco she knew, the boy from Hogwarts instead of the man who was slowly being revealed to her.

"You best hold on tight sweetheart. It's going to be a bumpy ride."

"What are you planning on doing?" she asked nervously as he outstretched his wand further.

"Maybe it would be better if you lay down?" He suggested.

Hermione took in a sharp breath. "I am not going to lie down! Just what are you planning on doing Malfoy?"

She would have jumped off the table had Draco not chosen that moment to strike…and non-verbally at that. Hermione felt the table wobble and immediately her hands came to grip tightly onto the edge. When the trembling grew worse and it was accompanied by the sound of creaking, Hermione looked at Draco with wide eyes. She nearly screamed when she felt herself move higher in the air.

"Draco! Stop this right now! You can't levitate me!"

"And I'm not." He said merely.

Hermione looked down and realised that the table legs were still attached firmly to the floor. But that apparently hadn't stopped them growing. Catching onto his plan, Hermione spoke quickly. "Draco, I'm not good with heights!" Her voice grew louder as she moved higher and higher into the air. She suppressed the need to scramble back and move into the centre of the table but then she wouldn't be able to hold onto the edge anymore. She felt her body freeze in fear.

"Malfoy!" she shouted loudly. She tried to catch his gaze but it meant peeking over the edge of the table and her stomach was queasy enough as it was. "I'm going to kill you." She whispered out loud.

As Draco continued ignoring her attempts to let her down, Hermione grew even more panicked when the legs of the table began _walking _over to the aisle where the discarded broom lay. Oh dear Merlin, she thought to herself. "I'm going to faint." And then suddenly her arms were stretched away from her body as the edge of the table began to move away from her.

"Malfoy!"

"Stop your screeching Granger!" The voice came from behind her and Hermione whipped her head to face him. He was floating on the broom next to her.

"What do you think you are doing? Let me down right this instant!"

"Calm down!"

"Calm down?" Hermione shrieked back. "I'm going to fall you addled oaf!"

At that Draco threw his head back and laughed out loud. "An addled oaf? Is that the best you can do?"

Hermione ignored the lurch in her stomach at his laughter and growled in her throat, her hand lifting to punch him for the second time in his life.

"You're not going to fall, there's no space for you to do so." He pointed out.

Hermione moved her head to look around her. Yes she was high enough to be eye level with the books on the top shelf but Draco had enlarged the table to be the complete width and length of the aisle. Surprised, she looked back at him.

"You can remain seated and either shuffle along the table or use your wand to make it smaller as you go."

The first thought that entered Hermione's head was a voice berating her for not thinking about something like this sooner and by herself. "Thank you." She said with only a hint of petulance in her tone.

"I'll have Hamilton pop in every fifteen minutes if you require something."

"I'll be fine. I can call him if I," get stuck, "require more ink."

Draco lifted a pale eyebrow. "Nothing comes without a price sweet."

Hermione took in a deep breath and held it in her chest as she felt unable to move. Draco's lips curled into a smirk once again and his hand reached out to clamp around her ankle. He pulled her towards him with an ease that had her heart jumping in her chest and she slid along the smooth surface of the desk until she was where she most definitely didn't want to be.

The edge of the table.

Her hands quickly came up to grab onto the front of Draco's robes to stop herself from falling and she was glad for the extra support when his arms held onto her waist firmly. When she managed to open her eyes, she found herself nose to nose with him. She looked into his pale eyes, suddenly shy.

He lifted her chin with two of his fingers and kept hold of her face as he angled it to the position he wanted it in. And then he kissed her. It wasn't what she was expecting. She had been expecting him to take his "reward" but he was gentle, his lips soft and wet as they caressed hers. He pulled her towards him and Hermione gripped him tighter as her body pressed against his hard chest. Still, he continued with his soft, slow strokes which had her sighing out loud in repletion.

When Draco pulled back, Hermione opened her disappointed eyes as he rested his forehead against hers.

"You need to get back to work if you don't want me fucking you right here." He said quoting her earlier words.

With intense effort, Hermione pushed herself back until she was safely in the middle of the table once again. Draco gave her one last hot look before turning his broom to face the floor and in the next few seconds, he was out of eyesight. Hermione faintly heard him land and his following footsteps along the library floor as he exited the room. When she heard the library doors close, she sighed out loud.

How could this be happening to her? How could she be feeling the feelings she was feeling? Merlin- how could she be doing _anything_ with _Draco Malfoy_ of all wizards?

Hermione simply sat cross legged in the middle of the table as she pondered the questions racing through her head. What had changed in the last few days? It seemed like an age ago that the thought of even being in the same room as Draco was absurd to her…and now her stomach fell when he left the room?

It wasn't possible.

He had cursed her…He'd poisoned her with a love potion…there had to be something! Because there was no way she would be feeling like this out of her own accord.

"_Lie to yourself all you want sweetheart but don't lie to me." _

That's what Draco had told her. Was it true? Was she lying to herself?

Hermione dug the heels of her hands into her eye sockets and watched the colourful stars burst behind her eyelids. Taking in a deep breath through her nose, she exhaled loudly from her mouth.

It was the close proximity…that was all. Just the proximity….and the mind blowing sex.

No don't think about that…Merlin, she was going crazy! She needed some air. She needed to see her friends. She hadn't been so cooped up in one place for years; it was taking over her life. Grabbing her wand, she supressed the urge to reduce the table back down to its usual size and go and find Draco so he could relax the wards for a while so she could go and see Harry and Ginny.

She was here to work she reminded herself. Despite the after hour activities she was participating in, work came first…and that meant she couldn't leave in the middle of the day to go and see her friends. Maybe she would ask Draco this evening? At least then Harry would be home from work.

Nodding her head at her plan, she got to work.

ooo

By the time her legs had started complaining from the stiff position she'd been sitting in, Hermione had managed to make it back down the aisle marking B and she'd begun sifting through the books in the next aisle. Squeezing her eyes shut, she waved her wand and breathed in loudly as the table's legs returned back to their normal size. Her stomach lurched uncomfortably on the rapid descent and once she was sure she wasn't going to faint…or throw up, Hermione stepped off the table and kicked her legs around in order to get the feeling back into them.

Waving a wand to find out the time, she stretched out until her back cracked before taking the floating Quick-Quotes Quill she'd been using in her hand.

Twenty three books that she needed to look at for work. A hell of a lot more to look at for pleasure. Work first, she reminded herself. Stepping back to the first aisle, Hermione accioed the relevant books towards her quickly, doing the same for the second aisle. Shrinking all the books so they could easily fit into her pocket, she replaced the windows with their black sheets before making her way back to her room.

Her grumbling stomach peeked its head up, demanding to be fed but Hermione wasn't sure what she was going to do for dinner tonight. Draco hadn't sent her a note or message asking her to join him again.

When she reached her room, she settled down on her bed after a quick visit to the loo. Selecting the book that looked to be the most interesting, she arranged herself in a comfortable position to carry out her work but once again, her body became too restless.

She needed to explore. She called Hamilton nervously, knowing she was being a coward by talking to him and not to Draco directly. He appeared within a few seconds.

"I was wondering, do you think Draco might let me wander around a little bit?"

Hamilton frowned. "Master Draco asked Hamilton to inform him when Miss Granger next wanted to walk outside. I will ask him to accompany Miss Granger."

"Oh no," Hermione said quickly, stopping him from apparating out, "I didn't mean outside, I mean inside…in the Manor."

Hamilton's eyes widened. "Miss Granger would like to see the Manor?"

Hermione nodded, not fully believing what she about to ask for. "I was hoping to maybe see the drawing room and the dungeons."

Hamilton's eyebrows rose even further. Hermione knew that since he'd been with the Malfoy family for over twenty-five years, he understood the significance of those particular areas of the Manor. His solemn gaze pierced her. "Hamilton will ask Master Malfoy."

Hermione nodded tightly, waiting for him to come back. A few minutes later, there was a knock on the door and Hermione somehow sensed that it wasn't Hamilton.

Quickly waving her wand to bring her trainers over to her, she stuffed her feet into them before standing and asking the guest to come in. She wiped her sweaty palms on the side of her jeans. Draco strode into the room, all black billowing robes and an angry stride.

"Hamilton said you wished to see the dungeons. Have I not made it clear that you are limited to your set of rooms?"

Hermione would have taken a step back had the bed allowed her to do so. She had expected Draco to be annoyed at her request but the strength of his anger surprised her. For a few seconds she spluttered, unable to answer his question when even she was unsure as to why she wanted to visit those areas of the Manor.

"Why are you so angry?" she asked defensively.

"What is your interest in the drawing room and the dungeons?"

Hermione shrugged. "I just want to see them."

"Why?" he demanded.

"I don't know Malfoy! Curiosity!"

"You would think the trinkets I've provided you with would hold your curiosity!"

Hermione pushed down the flame of anger she felt when he said the word trinkets and accompanied the word with a dismissing wave. These were priceless treasures that Draco had.

"This is different. You have to understand how strange it is for me to be back here. I…I just need to see the rooms."

"You never saw the dungeons," he began loudly before quieting, "The last time you were here."

"I know. But Luna did- after we were…rescued, she told me about them at Shell Cottage."

Draco didn't answer for a few moments, instead choosing to stare at her intensely as if he could see right through her and read her mind. Hermione held his gaze for the first few seconds only before she flicked her eyes away.

"Fine."

She looked back to him in shock. "You're going to let me see them?"

"If that is what you wish. I will call Hamilton to escort you."

"You won't be there?"

"I have no desire to hash up the past. If you want to see the rooms then you can see them. I won't be there."

And with one last angry look he stalked out of the room. Hamilton appeared ten seconds later and with a small smile and a quiet "Follow me Miss Granger," they set off.

Hermione wasn't sure how long they spent walking, her eyes and mind too busy taking in the new areas of the Manor that she was passing by. They were all darkly lit and unlike the citrus smell that was still present in the air around her rooms, these parts of the Manor had not been cleaned for many years. The musty smell and the thick layers of dust tickled her nose and on a few instances, Hermione thought she was going to sneeze.

When Hamilton came to a stop behind a black door, Hermione took in a tight breath knowing where they'd stopped. She didn't need Hamilton's "the drawing room, Miss Granger," to confirm her thoughts.

Pushing the door open, Hermione stepped inside the room. Hamilton clicked his fingers and the fireplace burst to life, allowing Hermione her first glimpse of the room that had haunted her dreams for so long.

She looked around blankly, trying to see if she could feel any of the evil still lingering in its pungent air. The floor was covered in a thick layer of grey spongy dust and cobwebs were visible everywhere she looked.

And she felt nothing.

She didn't feel scared. Memories of that night didn't inundate her until she couldn't breathe…She felt absolutely nothing.

A feeling of relief lifted off her shoulders. She hadn't even known she had been carrying such heaviness all these years. _Closure._ She had subconsciously feared this room for so long and yet it wasn't the room she should have been afraid of. It was Bellatrix Lestrange. And she was gone and never coming back. So what was left to haunt her? Nothing…entirely nothing.

"Is Miss Granger ready to see the dungeons now?"

Hermione turned. "Actually, I don't think I need to see the dungeons anymore." She said as she took one last look at the room before exiting it. "Will you take me back to my room?"

Hamilton nodded gladly and Hermione followed him. The walk back seemed a lot quicker and when Hermione reached her bedroom again, Hamilton was promising he would bring up her dinner within the hour.

As Hermione took a spare bit of parchment and sat down in front of the warm fire to write her letters to her boss and friends, her mind went back to Draco. From Hamilton's words she had immediately deduced that she and Draco would not be eating dinner again tonight…and for the life of her, she couldn't figure out if she was glad or disappointed about the fact.

ooo

_Hermione was being tortured. _

_Her head was lolling on her pillow, thrashing weakly from side to side, her neck having been drained of any strength to hold it up. _

_Her legs strained against their silk ties as her hands scratched at the bed covering, desperately reaching to hold onto something…especially since she couldn't reach him, despite her unbound arms._

_The bastard was torturing her on purpose. _

_She moaned ineligibly- her voice hoarse from having begged for what seemed like hours for her release. _

_Her stomach was tight and her swollen clit hungered for his touch. He'd been playing cat and mouse with it for an age, bringing her to the edge before pulling back. _

_Hermione had lost count of the number of times he'd done so…but what she did know was that the swollen bundle of nerves at the apex of her thighs was so sensitive that even the stirring of air around it was painful. _

_Groaning out loud, she lifted her head and narrowed a piercing gaze at the wizard kneeling between her feet. _

_He had started off with a blank look on his face, concentrating intently on his task of making her suffer for defying him earlier on in the evening, but his play had affected him too. _

_She could see it from the tight clench of his jaw and the wild look in his eyes. _

"_Draco…please…" _

_His hungry eyes turned from her swollen folds to her pleading eyes. A smirk fell over his lips before his head descended once more. _

_Hermione screamed out loud as his hot mouth suckled her once more. Her entire body went taught, her legs straining…desperately wanting to wrap around his head and hold him to her so he would finish what he'd started so many times before this night. _

_But her legs were useless. He'd bound them tightly, allowing her no flexibility in moving them at all. _

_She sobbed as she felt him take a quick swipe before he moved his head back once more. He was breathing just as heavily as she was, his deep rapid breaths hitting the skin of her inner thighs. _

_Hermione couldn't see the rest of his body but she knew he had to be straining for his own release too. _

"_Draco!" she cried out huskily. _

_He took another long swipe and Hermione's eyes rolled back in her head. _

"_I'm in control." She heard him growl through the pounding in her ears._

_Hermione moaned out. "Please…" _

"_Say it." He commanded, "Say it." _

_Hermione was too far gone to say anything. Her mind was too dazed, burning with a repressed fire that needed to be fed. _

_The bite of pain that his right hand delivered over her swollen folds had her jerking back to attention. _

_She lifted her head again, her eyes senseless as they took in his face. Groaning, he finally stood and Hermione saw just how badly his play had affected him. _

_His skin was glistening with sweat, his entire body trembling with faint quivers whilst his erection jutted out proudly, its crown swollen and purple. _

_Crawling up her body, Hermione slumped as his body came down over hers. His body heat stoked her fire. His forehead pressed against hers, the tip of his nose brushing against the round bottom of hers. _

_His black eyes seared her. _

"_Say it." He said again through gritted teeth, his body pulsing over hers lightly. "I set the limits. You may have pushed tonight sweet and you may have thought you'd got away with it but I'm in control here. Now- say- it." _

_Hermione took in his words through the hazy fog in her head. It seemed to be taking a few seconds for his words to enter her mind from when they left his mouth. _

_She cried out as he delivered another smarting blow. Her sob of shameful pleasure was swallowed up by his mouth and Hermione latched onto his intruding tongue, sucking greedily before he moved his head back. _

"_Say it!" _

"_You're in control!" The words were ripped out of her mouth as she repeated them over and over feverishly. _

_And finally she was rewarded. _

**ooooo**

Hermione woke up sore. She had merely blinked open her eyes- not even moving a muscle and yet she knew she would ache if she shifted her body to her back.

She felt startlingly hot under the cool sheets and as she finally turned over, containing her tender gasp as she did so, she moved into an area of surprising warmth on the bed.

Lifting her head, she turned to look at the pillow in confusion. There was an evident dent where her head had presumably lain but shouldn't the area have cooled by now.

The simple thought taxed her not fully awake head and Hermione merely curled up in a tight ball in a bid to try and enjoy the last few minutes in bed before she woke up to start her day. Her eyes felt tired as if she hadn't got enough sleep which was strange since she'd gone to bed early.

Instantly her dreams from the previous night came back to her and she gasped at the vivid details she was remembering. Shocked at the fact she'd had such an obviously dirty dream, she found herself squirming under the duvet, her stomach clenching repeatedly at the recollections.

Lying in the bed simply made her body burn fiercely until she was berating herself for even thinking about the dream. Shoving off the duvet, she headed into the bathroom quickly where she took care of her morning ablutions before making her way to her workroom.

"Oh Miss Granger is here!"

Hermione stopped short as she looked up to see Hamilton standing by her desk. He had evidently been waiting for her.

"Is everything okay?" she asked him as she stepped further into the room.

"Master Draco wishes for Miss Granger to join him for breakfast. Hamilton came to Miss Granger's bedroom but Miss Granger was in her bathroom so Master Draco told Hamilton that he must wait for Miss Granger in her workroom."

Hermione shook her head at the rapid barrage of words.

"Come Miss Granger. Master Draco is waiting." Hamilton said before he began walking out of the room.

Hermione followed him. She hadn't seen Draco since their…disagreement the previous night and she wasn't sure of the reaction she was going to face.

Hamilton led her to the main dining room she had eaten dinner in two days previous. Draco was already seated at his usual seat and he looked up when she entered. His eyes seemed oddly heated as she walked over to her own seat. After sitting down and fiddling with her napkin until she couldn't fiddle anymore, she finally looked up to face him.

The corner of his lips quirked upwards. "Sleep well?"

His words were perfectly innocent but the gleam in his eyes had her blushing. It was as if he could see right through her and knew exactly what she'd dreamed about. She cleared her throat, wishing it were just as easy to clear her head.

"Very well, thank you. I had an early night."

His smile stretched further and Hermione looked away.

Food appeared on the table and Hermione jerked minutely before she reached out to grab a piece of toast and some jam. Malfoy followed her actions, choosing the dishes he wanted and for a minute or two, they both ate in a comfortable silence.

Hermione was reaching to spoon some fruit on her plate when Draco spoke. "I was hoping to spend the day working with you."

Hermione looked up at the strange request. Keeping her puzzled thoughts and question of "why?" to herself, she shrugged nonchalantly. "It's your Manor." She said simply.

Draco said nothing as he stared at her. "I wouldn't want to intrude. If I will be a hindrance then tell me. I'm sure I can occupy myself for a few hours."

"No!" Hermione said before she blushed at her loud words. "It's fine. I'm sure your help will be useful."

Draco smiled; no correction- smirked, before he resumed eating. Fifteen minutes later they were both seated side by side on the enlarged table in the library as they worked silently through the aisles.

ooo

The day was probably the most productive one since Hermione had first entered the Manor. She wasn't sure what she'd expected of Draco but a silent companion who was content to work without the need to fill in the quiet gaps with inane conversation was not it.

They actually worked well together. Once she'd told Draco what kind of books she was looking for, he'd spent the day pulling them out for her whilst she made her notes and referenced their position before magicking them back to their rightful place on the shelves.

It was much more time efficient than yesterday where she'd pulled all the books and then had been forced to face the pile at the end of the day to write up her notes. And it felt nice not having to work alone.

When she'd suggested that they retire for the day it was already nearing six in the evening. Normally she would have retired earlier but she hadn't wanted to disturb the comfortable peace they were working in. In reply to her statement, Draco had agreed silently by shrinking the table until it was back to its usual size. Hermione hadn't been able to stop the small shriek that left her mouth at the rapid descent which left her stomach lurching uncomfortably.

Draco hadn't been gentleman enough to apologise but he had grabbed her hand to help her off the table. She had landed much too close to him and suddenly feeling too shy to look up at him despite the hours working side by side, she had instead turned around and gathered the remaining books towards her. As she had busied herself with stacking them into a pile, she'd seen Draco's arm rise out of the corner of her eye.

Stopping what she was doing, she had waited with bated breath for whatever he was planning to do. She had expected him to turn her around and demand payment for helping her as he had done the previous day. She had expected him to grab her chin so he could take what he wanted from her lips. What she hadn't expected was his finger trailing slowly down her spine as he bent his head to speak into her ear.

"Hamilton will bring you your dinner in your room. Then tonight, he'll bring you to me. Lesson number three sweet…_seduction_."

Hermione had breathed in raggedly as she had arched her back away from his touch. He had merely followed her.

"And I'm finally going to fuck that honey containing pussy."

Hermione's eyes had felt like they were bugging out of her head and then a disturbing thought had hit her. Where in Merlin's name was the alarm that should have been ringing in her head? Where in Merlin's beard was the voice in her head telling her that what she was doing with Draco was immoral?

I'm still here, it had piped up quietly and Hermione had breathed out a sigh of relief.

But before it could continue further, the voice had fizzled out and been replaced by one belonging to the devil. Draco hadn't mentioned doing anything…kinky. It was just sex- and yes she may not have been a witch to have casual sex before but it wasn't as if she was going to turn into a nymphomaniac overnight if she gave into him.

_And what about lesson four? And lesson five? _

Hermione had pushed the thoughts out of her head.

A popping sound had had her jerking round and with a thumping heart she'd realised that Draco had apparated away. She'd stared at the empty library for a moment before she'd quickly gathered her belongings to her chest and hurried to her room.

And now here she stood. Outside Draco's bedroom. Hamilton had left her with a worried look and a reminder that she was to call him at any time if she needed him. His words had done nothing to soothe the tumbling butterflies in her stomach.

She raised her arm to knock on the door and hesitated for a brief moment before she carried out the action.

"Come in."

Hermione swallowed. Wiping her palms against her jeans she pulled on the material and wished she'd brought something else to wear with her. She could have transfigured the clothing to something else but the thought of Draco knowing that she had done it especially for tonight was something she wasn't sure she could face. That hadn't stopped her from transfiguring her bra and knickers from the black cotton pairs she had bought with her to the silkier pairs that were stored in her drawer back home. The thought of what she had done made her cheeks blush.

She was regretting the decision now though and was desperately wishing she could quickly go back to her room and transfigure them back.

"_Now_ sweetheart." She heard Draco call out sternly from behind the closed door.

Twisting the door knob until she could push the door open, she stepped inside. The only light in the room was coming from the fireplace and her eyes quickly flicked around the room in search of Draco.

"Close the door."

She zeroed on his voice. He was sitting in a large armchair and with its position in the room; the majority of his body was shrouded in darkness. She followed his instructions before turning back to face him.

She hesitated when he didn't speak. "It's dark." She found herself saying. She was about to ask if she should light some of the other candles when he spoke.

"Do you remember tonight's lesson?"

Hermione nodded tightly.

"Repeat it. Out loud."

"S-Seduction." She whispered.

"Louder."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at his tone. "Seduction."

"And?"

Hermione lost her voice.

"We…we're going to…have sex."

"I don't believe that's what I said. Again."

Hermione's body erupted up into flames as her hands tightened by her side. She fiddled for a moment, hoping that Draco would simply give up but of course, he didn't. He sat in his chair, one leg crossed over the other leisurely as his hands crossed in front of him and he studied her.

"You said you were going to fuck…" she trailed off.

Draco didn't let go. "Fuck what sweet? Your mouth…your arse?"

"…My pussy."

She felt said pussy drench with moisture.

"I distinctly remember describing your pussy. Remind me..."

Another tight swallow in her throat. "Y-You said…it was…honey containing."

Draco growled. "I've never tasted anything sweeter."

Her head swam.

"Seduction." He said and Hermione snapped back to reality in order to listen to him. "Can work both ways. A wizard can seduce his witch until she's begging him to fill her tight cunt and give her the release she desperately wants." Hermione's eyes widened as she listened with rapt attention. "But a witch can also seduce her wizard."

She gasped as she felt the clothes she was wearing change. Looking down, she saw that he had changed her T-shirt and jeans into a prim white blouse and a black skirt.

"Strip."

His solitary command had her head flying up. "What?" she asked, unsure if she had heard him right.

"Strip for me."

Hermione's mind jerked into gear. Still unsure of what he wanted, her fingers lifted to the first button on her blouse. She unbuttoned it before quickly doing the same to the next two.

"Stop."

She froze. Her unbuttoned buttons fastened back up again and her fingers fell to her sides.

"Stripping is a form of seduction." He instructed softly. "Done correctly, it can make a wizard lose his mind until he can't think about anything else but sinking into your body. Begin again."

Hermione obeyed. She quickly popped open the first button.

"Slowly."

She hesitated before popping open the second fastening.

"Every button you undo, every zip you unfasten bares another delicious slice of you to my eyes. Imagine them caressing you. Imagine my fingers sliding over the uncovered soft skin. But for once, you're in control. You set the pace of which I see you. You control how long it is before I take you. Strip for me…Seduce me."

Hermione had felt her confidence bolstering at his words until he'd spoken the last two. Seduce him? She wasn't the seducing type! Her hands fluttered at the next button on her shirt and following his advice, she unbuttoned it slowly.

She trailed her hand down to the next button and fidgeted for a few seconds before baring another inch of skin to his eyes. He had told her that by doing this, she would be the one in control but she certainly didn't feel like it, especially since she couldn't see the expression on his face clearly.

When she'd undone all the buttons, she hesitated once again. Her strained ears picked up Draco's breathing.

"Slip it from your shoulders. Slowly."

Hermione reached up for the lapels before she nudged the material off her shoulders. In ten seconds, the blouse fell to the floor.

She heard Draco's breathing hitch as he took in her bound breasts. "Sweet Merlin. If this is what I was missing then I'll never vanish the clothes off your body again."

Hermione flushed proudly at his words, suddenly thankful that she had transfigured her underwear.

"Unzip your skirt."

Her hands reached up to the side zip and keeping her eyes firmly on him, she pulled the metal clasp down slowly. She was halfway through when the skirt fell in one corner, giving Draco the first view of her underwear.

Oh Merlin, she desperately wished she could see his eyes.

Realising that he had now already seen her underwear, Hermione unzipped the rest in one quick pull before letting the skirt drop to her feet. She stepped out of it nervously.

"Turn around."

Hermione frowned at the request but did as he bid.

"Reach up with your left hand and slip the bra strap down your shoulder." She followed his directives. "And now the right…Reach behind you and undo the hook…Remove it."

Hermione dropped the bra to her feet. Her uncovered nipples instantly hardened in the air.

"Good girl. Now undo the ribbons on those panties so I can see the pussy I'm going to make mine tonight."

Hermione looked down at her knickers. This was it. This was the last barrier she had against him. If she did what he was asking then she would have given into him. It would be fully 100% her choice- she wouldn't be able to tell herself the next morning that Draco had caught her by surprise and divested her of her clothes before she could do anything about it. This was all on her.

The question was- was she going to surrender to him or not?

Her body answered for her. Her nipples strained for his touch and her clit pulsed under the thin satin covering it. Slowly, she undid both ribbons at her hips simultaneously. Closing her eyes and taking in one deep breath, she let the scrap of material fall away, leaving her fully naked. She breathed in deeply for a few moments and was glad that she could hear Draco's breathing had become more rapid too.

"Turn around."

Dear Merlin, she couldn't believe she was actually doing this. She turned so she was facing him once again. Draco said nothing as he perused her leisurely. Well, she imagined he was looking at her. She grew more nervous as the silent moments passed by and he didn't speak or move. Her knees were threatening to buckle under her when he finally did.

"Walk to the bed…Go to the middle…Lie on your front."

She heard Draco stand and make his way over to her causing her hands to clench into tight fists. "I had planned to use the finest silk around your wrists tonight but you've provided me with something much more interesting."

She was pulled backwards on the bed, the slide of the bedcovers arousing her hardened nipples further into raw nubs.

"Outstretch your arms in front of you."

She did so and as Draco began securing her arms together, she lifted her head to see what he was using as a binding.

Dear Merlin, her knickers. She quickly dropped her head back down to the mattress. She heard him whisper a spell and out of the corner of her eye, she saw his clothes vanish.

He skimmed his finger down her back as he had earlier on in the library, only this time there were no barriers between them and goose bumps tingled at Hermione's skin. His fingers played a tune at the base of her spine before they ran back up to the nape of her neck.

She groaned out loud and immediately relaxed as he begun massaging the unseen knots in her neck. He shifted to cover her body with his own, his legs on either side of her hips, his erection digging into her lower back as his chest spread warmth over her entire body every time he leaned down to press warm kisses over the sensitive skin on her neck.

His animalistic groan between her shoulder blades had her shivering. She felt him move his cock from her back to between her legs where it throbbed and jerked, searching for the entrance into her body.

His hands left her and she saw one clench into a tight fist. "Turn around."

Hermione listened to his command dumbly. Her body felt like a heavy weight, there was no possible way for her to even shift a millimetre let alone carry out the herculean task of turning around onto her back. In the end she needed his help and once positioned in the way Draco wanted her, the first thing she saw was his face. His eyes were scrutinising her face, searching for something that she didn't know. She gave him a nervous smile only to watch as his eyes darkened and he bent to kiss her lips.

He was surprisingly gentle, well gentle for him, as he swiped at her lips with his tongue and sucked her lower lip into his mouth to suckle. She squirmed as she felt his fingers dip to between her thighs. He played for a short while, circling around her clit and spreading the moisture he generated around her already swollen lips. When it became too much and she needed more, Hermione banged her fist weakly against his back.

He chuckled against her mouth. "Seduction, sweet. It's slow."

But thankfully she wasn't the only one not able to continue on at the slow pace. She let Draco groan against her neck, apparently angry at himself for not having the control he evidently wanted to resist her so he could prolong the torture.

"Next time." He said as he lifted his head and gave her a dark stare.

Hermione merely nodded. She didn't care when he decided to make her beg- just as long as he didn't do it right now! Despite his words, he still held out for a few more mistakes, trying to control his breathing as he made hers go crazy.

And then something in him snapped.

His hands moved from between her thighs and he hooked each arm above her knee before pulling her legs apart. Hermione stretched gloriously in front of him before bringing her bound arms from above her head till they were touching the ridges of his stomach. She was surprised when Draco didn't immediately command her to move them back into their prior position. He was too busy staring at her body before he looked at her with dangerously glinting eyes.

"Do you need more sweet?" he asked as he resumed his hungry staring.

"Yes. More. Please!"

"If you could see how pretty you looked…" he trailed off as he slicked a finger through the juices that now coated her. "I want to eat you out."

Hermione thrashed her head from one side to the other. Fuck her. Eat her. Play with her. She didn't care as long as he did something more than just looking at her.

Two fingers plunged inside her and her hips came up off the bed. "Oh…" she cried out loud as her eyes rolled back. She ground against his fingers but he quickly pulled them back out again.

She would have complained…begged for more but he moved his body over her. Hermione found herself taking in a shuddering breath as his body came down over hers. This was it, she thought with numbed shock. She was going to have sex with Draco Malfoy.

"You're so tight. Always so tight around my fingers." He said harshly as if he was reminding himself of the fact.

His head dropped onto her chest and he turned it to palm one breast into his mouth. Hermione moaned at the sensation of his tongue but she needed more. She lifted her body invitingly, rolling her hips against his. The very tip of his cock settled into her and that was it. He surged forward.

Hermione found herself struggling to breathe as she felt her muscles rippling around his cock, initially resisting and then yielding to surround his shaft with warmth. Draco's harsh breaths hit her skin and she turned her head until his head was surely being suffocated by her neck and shoulder.

"Sweet Merlin." He said as he settled his weight more firmly on the arms next to her body.

One of his hands came to hook her leg higher around his waist, opening her up more fully to him before he pulled himself out slowly and lunged back in harder. A rhythm developed quickly but all Hermione could concentrate on was getting oxygen into her burning chest and the feeling that every time Draco moved away from her, her pussy was greedily pulling him back in.

His movements grew harder and faster until he was jerking in and out of her with an immeasurable speed. His head lifted until it was hovering over hers, the longer strands of his hair touching her burning forehead.

"Look at me."

Hermione opened her eyes, her mouth already open in an endless scream as her womb quivered and her orgasm threatened to overtake her. Draco moved until his forehead was resting against hers. Hermione jolted as her vision was taken up by his face…his piercing eyes. His jaw was tightly clenched as he concentrated on bringing them both to the brink of pleasure.

Needing more contact, she lifted her mouth to his. Hiss kiss was just as hard as his body, pushing her head backwards until it was digging into the mattress. His tongue retreated for just long enough for her to breathe and cry out his name before she exploded beneath him. Her legs flew out of the hooks of his arms and tightly wrapped around his waist, burying him in her as she clamped around his cock, preventing him from moving as her body milked him.

His hoarse cry was accompanied by the hot branding of his seed inside her and Hermione burrowed her face into his chest.

"Oh Merlin, you're mine. You're mine. Never…letting…you…go." She heard him say from above her. His words fell around her and for the first time, she merely tightened her body around him as he slumped to her side.

Hermione followed him, leaving the two of them on their sides staring at each other, their legs still entwined and his cock still lodged securely inside her. When he began slipping out, Draco accioed his wand over to him and cast a quick cleaning spell on both their bodies before whispering a contraceptive charm on her. Then, he pushed his wand out of the way and pulled her body into the curve of his.

The last thing Hermione heard as she fell asleep was Draco's possessive whisper of "Mine."

**ooooo**

The next morning at breakfast, Hermione found herself blurting out her idea to visit the Weasley's for a few days over Christmas. The idea had been building in her head for a while but it had become a definite plan this morning. She had surprisingly woken up in her own bed and her body still strummed from Draco's actions the previous night. As she roused sleepily, she briefly remembered snatches of when Draco had taken her twice more until they'd fallen into an exhausted heap of tangled limbs.

The shower had helped clear the remaining sleep from her head and in the harsh light of day; Hermione had struggled to face up to what she was doing with Draco. Last night had changed something in their relationship. She had known what was happening when she had been…taking her clothes off for him…but she'd pushed the feelings away. The impact of the unconscious decision she'd made was only fully hitting her now.

She had had sex with Draco Malfoy. _She_ had had sex with Draco Malfoy. Draco Malfoy had not had sex with her. Well not the first time anyway.

The thought had her throat closing in suffocation. She felt off balance and she needed to talk to Ginny.

Only now that she was looking at Draco's blank face in response to her statement that she had schooled into a question, she wasn't feeling as certain of her decision.

"Excuse me?"

"I was wondering if I could go home for a few days. It's been a while since I've seen Harry and Ginny and spending Christmas Day with the Weasley's is something of a tradition."

Hermione watched his eyes narrow at her words. His jaw clenched as he wiped his mouth with his napkin and placed it in all too controlled manner on the table.

"You wish to leave." His words had an edge to them that she hadn't heard before.

"It's only for a few days. Just for Christmas."

Her response seemed to anger Draco. Feeling as if she was missing out on something, she frowned. "So I can go?" she asked hesitantly.

"No."

Hermione looked at him in surprise. "No?" She had been nervous about asking Draco to leave for a few days but deep down, she hadn't really expected him to deny her.

"No." he repeated.

Hermione stared up at him blankly before she stood from her own seat angrily. "What do you mean, no?" she demanded. She grew even angrier when Draco pushed back his chair, causing it to scrape loudly against the stone floor, before he stood and began striding out of the room.

Spluttering in disbelief at his actions, she quickly followed him. "Where are you going?"

Draco stopped abruptly in his stride and turned around to face her. Hermione managed to catch herself from bumping into his chest and she cursed him for being so much taller than her as she looked up at him with crossed arms.

"Why must you spend the holidays with the Weasley's?" he asked in disgust. He spat out the word Weasley's as if it were Hippogriff dung.

"Don't say their name like that. The Weasley's are my family. It's only a few days for Merlin's sake. And you said I didn't have a deadline for the project." She pointed out.

"I also said no!"

Hermione took a step back at his angry bellow. For a few seconds there was silence as they glared at each other. She took in his rapid pants and his clamped jaw and for the magic in her; she couldn't understand why he was so angry.

"If you're going to prevent me from seeing my friends and family over Christmas the least I deserve is an actual reason why." She told him, annoyed.

Draco stepped towards her until the front of his robes brushed against her crossed arms. She looked up at him, determined to stand her ground and get her answers.

"You want a reason?" he asked softly.

Hermione nodded tightly.

"How about the fact that you signed a contract agreeing to complete your work in a short a time period as possible?"

Hermione gasped at his answer and she reeled back as if he'd slapped her. He was attacking her _work?_

She spoke through gritted teeth. "My apologies if I'm not completing the work in a quick a manner as you had hoped but if you wanted an antiquarian who would skim through your belongings and catalogue them shoddily before getting out of your hair then you picked the wrong person for the job."

Finishing on an angry note, she walked around him and began climbing back up the stairs to her workroom.

"Don't you dare walk away from me."

She whirled around as Draco caught her wrist in a strong hold.

"I didn't think we had anything else to talk about." Hermione snapped. "I asked you if I could leave for a few days and you said no. Just because you might be perfectly happy living alone in darkness doesn't mean the rest of us don't enjoy spending time with our family and miss them when we're apart from them!"

He pulled on her arm and Hermione all but fell into his body at the jerk.

"You think I _enjoy_ living alone? You think I _enjoy_ living in darkness?" he snarled through clenched teeth.

Hermione pushed him away so he wasn't looming over her. He refused to budge even an inch.

"Well you must do because you've spent the last few years living like that!"

"I didn't have a choice!" He snapped loudly.

"Of course you had a choice!" she bit back before she had enough. She pushed him away once again, her neck already beginning to ache from having to look up at him so much. "Stop being so intimidating!"

He froze at her words before a sneer morphed his face. "Very well. You wanted to leave, you can leave." He looked at her with disgust. "You're just as shallow as every other witch!"

Hermione scoffed incredulously. "Shallow! What are you talking about? All I said was that you were intimidating," she argued. "How does that make me shallow!" she said as she crossed her hands over her chest.

Draco stepped back closer to her. "I am aware of just how intimidating I look _Granger_. I don't need witches like _you_ pointing it out to me for the rest of my life."

"Well if you're fed up with people telling you then maybe you should act less intimidating!"

"How do you expect me to change something that I have no control over!" he yelled.

Hermione rubbished his words. "Everyone has control over the way they act _Malfoy_. Point one, don't use your height to loom over people who are shorter than you!" she accompanied her words with a few sharp pokes to his chest before continuing, "Point two, don't use your strength to pull someone to where you want them as if they're your puppet!"

Draco looked taken aback at her words. "What?" he muttered under his breath.

Hermione simply stared at his confused face. Something flashed in his eyes as he looked at her before he brushed past her and began walking up the staircase. Hermione stared at him for a moment before she spoke again. "You're walking away from me?" she asked disbelievingly as she quickly followed him. He didn't turn back to face her. "Merlin, you're just as rude as you were in Hogwarts! No wonder you're holed up in this place alone!"

Draco tensed at her words before he turned around and let out a scoff.

"What?" Hermione snapped, suddenly feeling defensive under his glare.

"You think that I'm alone because of how _rude_ I am?"

"Yes. That accompanied with your intimidating, threatening behaviour does not a nice wizard make."

Draco looked at her blankly before erupting into a scathing laugh.

"What are you laughing at?" Hermione demanded angrily.

"You, sweet." his laugh turned into a bitter smile, "your answer."

Hermione gritted her teeth as he continued, his vicious smile twisting again. She had to force herself from swallowing the apology that was waiting to leap out of her throat when a sudden wounded look passed over his face.

"Look at me Granger."

"I am!"

"And yet you seem to be the only one who doesn't see me."

His words juggled around her mind, forcing her to peer at him intently. And then as the flames on the wall slithered over his face, it all seemed to click into place.

Her sharp intake of breath let him know she had come to the answer he had been thinking of. Her gut twisted under the heavy guilt that settled in it.

"I don't care about your scars." She said quietly but strongly.

Malfoy curved his head to the side and let out a scoff of derision. He didn't turn back when he spoke, as if he couldn't bear looking at her. "Liar."

Previously his words would have caused her to fight back but now, all she felt was sympathy.

"I'm not lying."

"Then you haven't seen them clearly enough."

The reason behind why the Manor was kept so dark slotted in place. Hermione reached out to comfort him. He hissed and jerked his arm back at the first contact she made with his heavy robes.

Hermione didn't know what to say. Her mind flitted back to his words…and an angry protective feeling fired in her belly. Someone had hurt him…but whom? He'd told her that he'd barely seen anyone since his release from Azkaban.

_Pansy? _

She wanted to bring up her thoughts but hesitated. She had more pressing things to discuss with him.

"Your scars…they don't…someone…" she was babbling and she knew it. Taking in a deep breath and shaking her head to start over, she looked Draco straight in the eye. "Your scars shouldn't stop you from living your life."

"My life ended the day I took this." He lifted his left arm and pulled up his robes.

Despite the dim light and the fact she could barely see the dark tattoo, she still found herself swallowing a lump as she stared at the skull and snake marrying his otherwise pale skin. She then realised with a jolt that it was the first time she was seeing the mark despite their nightly activities. Which meant that he had been purposely hiding it from her.

When she next spoke, her words were whispers. "You paid for your mistakes in Azkaban." She told him.

"Spend Christmas with the Weasley's, I don't care." He said.

Hermione stared at him in disbelief. "You have to be joking?"

Draco looked at her with steely eyes. "I don't joke."

Hermione scoffed. "And I don't take well to fickle people."

"Fickle." He stated in a wooden voice.

"What else do you call yourself? A few moments ago you were yelling at me for even suggesting that I leave the Manor and now you suddenly don't care?" she asked sarcastically.

Draco didn't take her tone of voice well if his flashing eyes were any indication. And then abruptly, his eyes cleared. Under his new stare, Hermione shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other and waited for him to speak. He didn't. Eventually she gave an audible huff as she placed her arms on her waist and looked at him with raised eyebrows.

A frown formed on his face. "You aren't afraid of me are you?" he muttered under his breath.

Hermione wasn't sure if she was meant to have heard his words but she decided to call him up on them. "Afraid?" she had meant her tone to be disbelieving but it came out as a question. A question that Draco didn't answer. He took his time looking into her eyes, as if searching for something, before he merely disapparated away.

Hermione looked at the space he had been standing in. Shuffling for a few moments, she eventually began making her way up the stairs slowly. She had got what she'd wanted… he had agreed to let her leave…but did she still want to anymore?

ooo

Hours later, she was sure that Draco had expected her to have left the Manor already. Hermione had expected to have left the Manor already herself, but by the time she had made it to her bedroom, she knew deep down that she had no intention of leaving to spend the Christmas with the Weasley's. And so she had gathered herself and made her way to the library to continue on with her work.

But now it was two in the afternoon and she was starving. She had become used to eating lunch at twelve on the dot and having missed out on eating a proper breakfast, her stomach was growling loudly.

"Hamilton?" she called out after her belly let out another impatient roar.

The house elf popped into the library immediately and did a comical double take as he saw her standing there.

"Miss Granger?"

"Hello." She laughed.

"Hamilton thought Miss Granger had left. Master Draco-"

Hermione wanted to hear the rest of that sentence but refrained from asking when Hamilton abruptly stopped speaking. "Is it okay if I get some lunch?"

Hamilton stood up straighter. "Oh yes, of course. Hamilton will bring Miss Granger's lunch now. Miss Granger must be very hungry." He said as he hurried over to the door before coming to a halt and staring back at her from over one shoulder. "Hamilton is very happy Miss Granger decided to stay."

Hermione smiled. "I am too." She said.

With one last beaming smile, Hamilton apparated out of the library and the smile slipped off her face. She found herself wondering if Draco would be happy that she'd decided to stay too.

ooo

"Granger."

Hermione jumped as she nervously bent over the edge of the table to see Draco standing beneath her. He was leaning against the aisle and he watched the progress of her descent with a blank look on his face. And then she realised that the room had grown dim again. She didn't have to look at the nearest windows to see that he had obviously covered them again. Swallowing once, she returned his greeting as cordially as she could. "Malfoy."

The flash in his eyes caused a satisfied smile to curve at the corners of her lips.

"I wasn't expecting to find you still here. You were _insistent_ on leaving at breakfast."

"I changed my mind."

"Fickle." He said, repeating her words from earlier on.

She smiled. "A witch's prerogative." She corrected in a light tone.

Draco's own lips twitched and Hermione's smile broadened. So he _could_ take a joke. A weight seemed to lift off her shoulders.

"May I ask what changed your mind?"

The smile slipped off her face and she looked over him. Draco seemed to prickle at the attention.

"I don't need your pity sweetheart." he said before she'd even had a chance to reply.

Hermione immediately scoffed out loud and rolled her eyes. "Get over yourself. I stayed for my work, not for you." She lied.

Draco cleared his throat uncomfortably. "I apologise if I led you to believe I was unsatisfied with the manner in which you are carrying out your job."

Hermione nodded once- they'd both said things that they shouldn't have but her ego still stung from his remarks. She'd never before had someone criticise her work. It was the one thing she was 100% confident about; she might not be as sexy or sporty or fashionable as some of the other witches in the Wizarding World but she damn well knew how to do her job.

"I'm sorry too." Hermione said.

Draco accepted with a curt nod. The two stared at each other awkwardly.

"I should let you get back to your work." He said after a while.

Hermione found herself nodding her head and fidgeting nervously with her quill. Draco was near the exit when she called out to him.

"Stay!"

He stopped and turned around to face her. "Excuse me?"

Hermione shifted her weight from one foot to the other, wishing she hadn't spoken. "Um, stay. If you wanted to…if you don't have anything else to do."

She held her breath as Draco walked back to her. "I don't have anything else planned for the afternoon." He said eventually.

Hermione breathed out in relief and gave him a small smile. She resumed her seat on the table and watched Draco do the same. In twenty seconds, the two were working side by side once again.

ooo

"You can spend Christmas with the Weasley's if you wish. I can alter the wards after dinner tonight."

Hermione flicked her eyes over to Draco when she heard his softly spoke words. It was the first time he had spoken in the hour he had been sat next to her. He wasn't looking at her, his fingers still trailing over the spines of the books as he carried on intently with his work.

Hermione moved her own gaze back to her work. "That's okay." She said in a deliberately light tone. "Spending Christmas at the Manor will be…" and then she petered off as she struggled to come up with an appropriate adjective. "...nice."

Draco sighed from beside her. "You were right." He told her. "You should spend the holidays with people you want to, sweet. Your family."

"But…" she stopped as she realised there was no way she could say what she was thinking. Draco would probably hex her if she said she didn't want to leave him alone over Christmas.

And then another thought entered her head. It was the truth but could she say it?

"I'd like to spend Christmas with you…" she whispered out loud.

She kept her gaze firmly on the notes she was scribbling in her lap and hoped her hair was hiding her flaming cheeks. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Draco tense briefly before he continued scanning through the books.

"Very well."

Hermione breathed out in relief and they got back to work.

**ooooo**

The next few days passed by in an easy routine. Hermione would wake up early and enter the library after which she would soon be joined by Draco. They would work in relative silence, eat their lunch not in the library surprisingly enough but in a parlour with fabulous views of the Malfoy grounds, work for a few more hours and then retire. And then would come the…more spirited activities.

Hermione still flushed as she thought about not just the amount of times they'd had sex but the blush inducing positions and locations. Two days ago Draco had bent her over the table they'd been due to eat lunch at and he'd fucked her wildly from behind. The mortifying horror she'd felt as Draco made it quite clear that Hamilton was due to bring in their lunch soon had shamefully excited her until she'd come within minutes. Once Draco had joined her, Hermione had been left lying across the table boneless as Draco straightened his clothes and then hers before carrying her until she was slumped in her seat. Not a minute later she'd been unable to look at Hamilton as he inquired on whether she would like him to crack open the patio doors since it was evident she was feeling so warm. Draco had merely laughed as she'd rapidly shaken her head.

…And then there was the matter of that butt plug.

Draco had made her wear it numerous times as he explained it, so her body could get ready for him. Yesterday he'd even made her wear it whilst they'd been working in the library.

Hermione had no idea just how Draco managed to persuade her into doing the debauchery that he did. Hermione would always initially balk at whatever Draco would whisper into her ear or instruct her to do but one look at his wicked eyes and her resistance seemed to be kicked out of the window.

Where he was concerned, she was turning into the nymphomaniac she'd feared she would become. And the thing that worried her was just how not worried she was. Just last week she'd been crying in the shower over what she'd done with him and now…she seemed to be ready for anything. Well almost anything. There was still an elephant in the room that Draco hadn't yet brought up and she'd been too embarrassed to.

She'd be a fool if she wasn't worried about it. She liked the relationship she and Draco had developed. Sex aside, they'd spent hours talking and learning about one another. The thought of him introducing a stranger to their relationship left her feeling alarmed. Despite the erotic and unexpectedly vivid dreams she'd been having of her writhing between two bodies, when Hermione woke up in the morning with her heart racing and her pussy burning, she was still slightly glad that they were still only dreams.

And if she were completely honest with herself, she could barely keep up with Draco let alone another wizard.

After their mini argument, they'd spent a short while in the library before Hermione had suggested that they stretch their legs and maybe carry on studying the objects in her workroom. To her surprise, they'd worked flat out and she had managed to inventory all the items in the room that very same day. She'd made a blasé quip something along the lines of "one room down, the library and one room to go," and had thought nothing about it.

And then the next day they'd started working in the second workroom that was home to fewer belongings and they'd made a sizable dent on the work before lunch.

That night, Draco's lovemaking had been ruthless. And it had been ever since. He would fuck her body for hours whether it was with his cock, his fingers, his mouth or his arsenal of toys. When she felt like he'd wrung out every moan from her body and she was pleading for him to stop, he would climb over her and let her lie there as he started all over again. His touches over painfully sensitised skin would rob her off her breath and she swore that she'd even passed out from exhaustion once.

But she couldn't bring herself to regret anything…yet.

However, she couldn't ignore the loud clock in her head that had begun counting down the time she had left at the Manor. And despite Draco's relentless antics in bed, neither could he.

**ooooo**

On Christmas morning, Hermione woke up to the feel of Draco's hand sifting through her tangled curls. She didn't open her eyes yet, letting her body rouse slowly. Her mind began to clear away the cobwebs from the previous night and she realised that the last thing she remembered was Draco palming her breasts into his mouth.

She shifted slightly so she was firmly settled into his warm body. More cobwebs cleared and she remembered his dogged actions from last night. He'd been merciless with her body and Hermione had a feeling she knew the reason why.

She'd nearly finished with her work.

She'd satisfactorily finished with the two workrooms and with Draco's help, she would be finished cataloguing the library within a couple of days. She'd need an extra day just to go over all her notes and then she would be free to leave and compile her report to show the antiquarian field all over the world what she'd found in the depths of the Manor.

When Draco's fingers skimmed down her body to playfully circle her bellybutton, Hermione pushed her thoughts of leaving to the recess of her mind and she smiled. Finally opening her eyes, she saw Draco staring down on her.

"It's Christmas Day." He stated as he continued with his play.

"Merry Christmas." Hermione said in a husky sleep-laced voice.

"Merry Christmas." Draco replied.

Hermione closed her eyes again as she stretched out her body languidly as she always did when she woke. It was only when she'd popped her back and toes successfully and slumped back into his side that Draco spoke.

"You won't be working today." He informed her.

Hermione cracked her eyes open but said nothing.

"It's Christmas Day. No-one should work on Christmas Day."

"Oh?" Hermione said even though she wasn't complaining about his decree. "And just what will I be doing instead?" she asked.

"Spending the day in my bed." Draco announced, causing Hermione to shiver in anticipation. Her exhausted body instantly felt much less tired. "I have to leave for a few hours to organise your Christmas present." He told her as her ran a finger down her cheek.

Hermione's first thoughts were ones of disappointment at the fact he was leaving. Then there was surprise- he was actually planning on leaving the Manor? And then there was apprehension- a Christmas present? Her mind jumped to the worst conclusion and she became horribly aware of the plug resting snugly in her arse.

"Draco…" she began to say.

He stopped her words by sealing his mouth with hers. "Hush sweet."

Her stomach continued to flutter uncomfortably. She found herself pulling her head away and looking up at Draco worriedly.

"What present?" she asked quietly.

Draco ran a finger over her lips. "Do you trust me sweet?"

"Yes?" she replied.

Draco smiled devilishly. "Is that a question or an answer?"

Hermione sighed. "It's an answer." And it was true. She did trust him. She knew he wouldn't hurt her intentionally. He'd shown that over the last few days when he'd looked down on her worriedly during their love making as if concerned that he was hurting her with the strength of his passions. His anxious gazes when they'd finished were enough for Hermione to trust him.

"Then trust me. I wouldn't do anything to harm you." He said as he lifted her chin so he could kiss her mouth again.

"I don't want to sleep with another man!" she burst out.

Draco shifted his head back and looked down on her. "There you go, ruining my surprise." He said lightly as he chucked her gently under the chin.

His confirmative response did nothing to soothe her. "…Draco." she merely stated in a tone asking him not to joke right now.

He sighed. "Put it out of your head for now. It's time to continue with your lessons. Lesson number six sweet, the shower." He said as he scooped up her naked body.

Hermione squealed girlishly. "We've already had sex in the bathroom." She said haughtily, her thoughts still on Draco surprise.

She was pulled out of her thoughts when Draco bit down on her ear none too lightly. "We fucked in the bath tub sweet. This is a whole different experience."

And then he proceeded to show her just how, doing things with the shower head that no Wizard should be able to do legally.

ooo

Hours later Hermione lay comfortably in Draco's bed, busy reading one of the books she'd come across in the library. Draco had been relaxing behind her but over the last half hour; he'd been occupied with firing off Quik-e-notes to an unknown addressee from his desk. Hermione wanted to ask him who he was writing to, especially since she had thought he didn't have any ties with anyone else in the Wizarding World, but the thought of actually getting an answer to her question kept the words firmly in her mouth.

Having sent the latest letter off, Draco wasn't the only one who watched it disappear. When he stood from his armchair, Hermione quickly looked back down to her book. She couldn't take in any of the words on the page.

Draco walked over to her. "I have to leave for a few hours."

Hermione swallowed the lump in her throat and lifted her head up to face him. "Draco. I don't want-"

Once again her words were cut off with his mouth. His kiss left her breathless, her heart pounding loudly in her chest and she barely registered the instructions he was telling her. He had apparated out before she could even speak again.

Feeling restless, Hermione kicked off the cover and jumped off the bed. Draco's instructions were now hitting her clearly and it was evident that if she followed them, then her choice would be made. Not wanting to be in the bedroom anymore, Hermione ran across the Manor until she was finally ensconced in the safety of the library. Draco had asked her to stay in the bedroom and take a relaxing bath to get herself ready and she knew disobeying him would have consequences but there was no way she was going to be waiting for him…and whoever else…on the bed trussed up and laid out like some virginal sacrifice.

Taking in a deep breath, she walked over to the aisle they'd last been working on and she allowed herself to relax into the comforting hold of her work.

ooo

Three hours of intense concentration later, Hermione was surprised at just how much she had covered. She had entered her "zone", a state of deep absorption in her work where mundane things like food or going to the loo didn't affect her. Hermione was pleased that it had happened at least once during her stay although it wasn't surprising why it had only happened now. When she'd first come to the Manor, she'd been too nervous about her surroundings to ignore them and working with Draco these last few days had left her in a constant state of awareness.

Seeing the light fading from the outside window Hermione knew what she had to do. With extreme hesitance, she walked back to Draco's bedroom. Thankfully he wasn't back yet and so she sat down in the armchair, carefully avoiding the bed, and waited for him to return.

ooo

She didn't have to wait long. Ten minutes later he walked into the bedroom. Hermione saw his gaze go straight to the empty bed where he had instructed her to wait before he looked around to see her curled up on the chair.

Hermione didn't move as she saw him lift a pale eyebrow, silently demanding to know why she wasn't where he wanted her to be.

"We need to talk." She finally said.

Draco stalked towards her and she stood so he would know she was serious. It didn't work very well as Draco swung her over his shoulder and two seconds later, he was depositing her on the bed.

"No more talking sweet. I know you. That brain of yours spends too much time thinking. Just feel."

"But-"

"Trust me."

"I do, Draco, but-"

Draco kissed her again. A sneaky attack whilst he manoeuvred her ankles to the vicinity of the ties on the bedpost. They were instantly bound and when she gasped into Draco's mouth, he chuckled.

He left her arms free but when he moved over to her with a blindfold in his hand, she immediately shook her head.

"Yes sweet."

"No Draco. I want to see you. I _need_ to see you."

"It might be easier if you can't see sweet." He said as he stroked down her cheek.

Hermione considered his words before shaking her head. Draco sighed but acquiesced to her decision.

"Need any help?"

The voice from the doorway had Hermione gasping out loud as she lifted her head to face the wizard. Hermione took in the dark headed man whose eyes were already looking at her with arousal. Something in his features seemed familiar but she struggled to place him. Draco shifted on the bed so her view of the wizard was blocked. She looked at Draco with wide eyes.

"Who is he?" she asked quietly, hoping the other wizard couldn't hear her.

"Theo Nott. He was in our year in Slytherin."

Hermione breathed in tightly. She wanted to ask how Draco knew him and how they were friends. Merlin she wanted to know if every wizard in Slytherin was so ready to jump into a ménage with a witch belonging to a friend…housemate…acquaintance…whatever he and Draco were.

The thought had her trembling. "I can't do this." She whispered, her hands clutching at Draco's arms beseechingly.

He took both her arms and clasped them in one hand before bending down closer to her. "Yes you can. You want this, I know you do. Let me give it to you."

"…I'm scared…"

"I know you are sweet… but you can stop this anytime you're not comfortable."

Hermione looked up at him. Draco's eyes were looking at her gently, in a way that soothed her nerves but the fact that they were black and not grey let her know just how aroused and excited he was. She drew courage from him before giving a shaky nod of her head.

"We can stop if I want to?" she asked one more time.

Draco smiled before giving her a hot kiss. His tongue plunged into her mouth and Hermione took in a sharp intake of breath as he magically removed her clothes, leaving her naked in front of both wizards. "Believe me, the words coming out of your mouth will in no way resemble the word emerald."

Oh dear Merlin, there was no turning back now.

"Sweet Salazar." She heard Theo murmur as Draco pulled his head back and stood from the bed. "Does she know the safe word?" he queried softly.

Hermione's cheeks burned with embarrassment as she took in his gaze trailing from the top of her head to the tips of her tied toes.

Draco nodded once before both wizards began undressing and sparks of excitement began to travel up Hermione's spine. She kept her gaze on Draco but she couldn't help her eyes from flickering over to Theo for quick peeks. When Theo removed his shirt and began work on his trousers, Hermione's peek turned into a fixated stare and when she next looked back at Draco, his eyes were amused.

Her cheek's blushed harder and she bit her lip.

"Was she waiting for you as you instructed?" she heard Theo ask casually.

Draco's lips stretched further and his eyes turned disapproving. "No, she wasn't. You were a bad witch weren't you Hermione?"

Hermione found herself staring at him with wide eyes before she glanced over to Theo and froze when he pushed his trousers down his legs. Hermione took in his already erect cock with surprise before she realised she was gaping and quickly shut her eyes.

Moisture leaked from her vagina in response she couldn't hide and she desperately wished that her legs weren't spread-eagled and so open to their gaze. At her actions, both men chuckled and Hermione realised that she could pick out whose amused laughter was whose.

"She needs to be punished for disobeying my orders, don't you sweet?" She heard Draco say.

Hermione popped open her eyes to give Draco a glare. Inside she was screaming for him to punish her. She wanted them both to punish her.

"There's no reason why we can't do both at the same time." Theo replied and Hermione gasped in surprise as she felt his blow land on her pussy.

Dear Merlin, he had touched her. She was going to die.

"Fuck her clit with your tongue. But don't let her come." Draco told Theo. "You like being eaten out don't you sweet?"

Hermione's eyes rolled into the back of her head as she felt Theo's tongue begin to lick her. One long swipe to begin with, wiping her lips free of any cream gathered there before he continued with smaller but more powerful strokes.

"Theo likes eating pussy." Draco told her conversationally as she began to lose her mind. "And when I told him that yours was the sweetest he would ever taste, he couldn't wait."

Theo moved his head back long enough to give her a wicked smile. "Draco wasn't lying." He said before he resumed his actions.

Hermione moaned out loud as she felt her body begin to respond. Her frame was beginning to tighten as it always did, straining for her release and Theo seemed to read her mind because he thrust a finger into her. Hermione's next groan was matched by Theo's and the vibrations of his mouth against her flesh caused her mind to overcome with dizziness.

"Not yet sweet." Draco said as he tilted Hermione's head so she was looking up at him.

Theo's finger retreated and his suckling mouth grew softer, his lips now skimming over her pussy in a barely there caress. Her moan of disappointment had Draco chuckling with a dark look on his eyes. She grew even more frustrated when Theo stood from between her thighs. As Hermione looked at him with dazed eyes he smirked, momentarily looking so similar to Draco, before he winked and swiped his tongue over his lips knowingly.

Hermione shivered as she slumped back down. It was only when she felt Draco's hands on her legs that she realised he wasn't standing next to her anymore. He was releasing her?

Her question must have shown on her face as Draco answered. "We tied your legs so you wouldn't run. But you're not going to run now are you?"

Hermione wet her dry lips as she shook her head dazedly. Her body was still pulsing and she wanted more…however perverted or depraved that made her.

Draco fisted her ankles and pulled her towards the edge of the bed so she lay between his legs, her thighs hanging off the bed and skimming the floor. Her eyes trailed up his body slowly before she reached his dark eyes. Grabbing hold of her arms, he pulled her body up towards him, pausing for a moment when she was fully against him to give her a deep kiss, before he turned her around.

A splayed hand in the middle of her back guided her back down onto the bed…onto her hands and knees. She trembled as Draco's hand moved between her legs, swiping through the moisture Theo had elicited before he swirled it to between her arse.

She felt him press against her and instinctively shifted back against him. He bent over her so he could whisper in her ear. "I'm going to fuck this pretty arse tonight Hermione. I'm going to make it mine. Do you want that? Do you want me fucking your arse as Theo fucks your pussy?"

Hermione let out an illegible garbled noise at his words. Her inner muscles were already clenching, imaging themselves clamping around both their shafts, holding them deep within her.

A harsh unexpected slap on her arse had her crying out. Tingles of burn scissored up her spine.

"I don't think you've been punished enough yet sweetheart. I distinctly remember giving you instructions on what you should be wearing and the position you should be waiting for us in and you disobeyed me."

Another slap had her gasping as Draco palmed the red cheek.

"Tut tut sweet. We're leaving Theo out of all the fun."

His fingers curled into her hair. "Lift up." He said softly, accompanying his words with a gentle pull that had her head rising. "Good girl. Now put Theo's cock in your mouth. Let him see how far you can take him down your throat."

Hermione opened her eyes to see Theo standing on the bed, his erection level with her mouth. Draco's next smack had her crying out as she looked up at Theo. Her wide eyes took in his aroused features and she licked her lips, wetting her mouth in preparation.

"Open your mouth Hermione." Draco commanded from behind her.

Hermione swallowed once more, an unexpected bundle of nerves choking her throat at the thought of carrying out the action, before her mouth fell open. Theo fisted a hand around the base of his cock and guided it towards her. He brought it to her lips before pausing. Hermione's tongue peeked out on its own accord to lap at the pre-cum on the tip. Theo's taste hit her palate buds, so distinguishable from Draco's but one she wanted more of.

Draco's next slap had her body pushing towards Theo and the head of his cock slipped into her mouth. Hermione clamped her lips down and sucked, sending a thrill down her body as she heard Theo's harsh intake of breath.

"That's it sweet." Draco encouraged as his hand slipped from her hair only to be replaced by Theo's.

He held her head steady until he was thrusting in and out of her mouth, still only giving her a few inches of him.

Two fingers pushed into her pussy and Hermione moaned, the tremors of her mouth causing Theo to lose control as he pushed in more fully. She felt him hit the back of her throat and it was now her usual reaction to relax her throat. She hollowed her cheeks around him as she swirled her tongue in patterns over his skin.

His shaft pumped into her mouth in accordance to Draco's fingers and she sucked hungrily, her body already readying herself for the pleasure she would receive after she'd pleased them both.

As heavy minutes passed, both her and Theo's cries got louder until he was jerking inside her mouth and she was soaking Draco's fingers. Theo's hand tightening in her hair as he came had her keening at the pleasurable pain he ignited and she tightened around Draco's fingers, her own climax burning through every nerve in her body. Her hands buckled out from under her, causing her to fall onto the bed as Theo's cock slipped out of her mouth.

Boneless, she breathed in heavily as Draco pulled his fingers free from her.

Dear Merlin, she wasn't going to survive this night. Her mind knew it, her body knew it, the fluttering of excitement in her stomach at what would come next knew it but she couldn't wait. She felt a mouth kissing up her spine and hummed out loud. She wanted to turn over but the thought of the amount of energy it would take had her thinking otherwise.

She heard shuffles behind her. Too exhausted to look, she kept still, even when she felt two pairs of hands lifting her up and arranging her on her knees until she was half reclining on top of a body, her head resting above their head. She knew it was Theo even before she opened her eyes. His hands came up to cup her breasts, getting a feel of the weight and the sensitivity of her nipples before he swiped his tongue over one. Her body instantly came back to life.

Hermione found herself losing her body to Theo's touches. The suckling of his tongue, the pinching of his fingers, the short flares of hot pain at his moderate bites, everything had her tightening her fingers into his shoulders until she was sure she was digging in painfully.

It was only when she felt the cool material slip over her eyes that her body tensed. She gasped out loud as she felt the blindfold secure against her head.

"Draco." she called out, suddenly unsure in her new world of darkness.

She felt his kiss on her neck. "You don't have to see me sweet. Feel me instead. I want to make every single one of your fantasies come true. And I will. Beginning with this one."

Hermione moaned, half in pleasure and half in embarrassment.

"This is your first ever fantasy isn't it?" Draco asked. She didn't reply, knowing that he already knew the answer. He nipped at her ear. "I know it's true. You've dreamed about being blindfolded, inserted between two bodies as two wizards fucked you at the same time until you were coming so hard you wouldn't ever want to let us go. Tonight, we make that a reality."

The shock of his cool lubricated fingers tracing over the puckered rim of her arse had her pushing further into Theo's body. The first of his fingers pushed in with minimal resistance, her arse having been trained well by Draco's endless use of the plug. The muscles stretched slightly as a second finger was added before the third was inserted and the burn began to build.

Draco thrust in and out gently, spreading the lubrication inside her as she shamelessly begged for more. Surrendering her weight to Theo, he shifted her into a more comfortable position against him leaving her arse sticking out in the air, awaiting Draco. Theo's hand palmed over the back of her head, bringing it down to rest in the curve of his neck. As Theo whispered dirty words in her ear as to what Draco and he were going to do to her, Draco whispered soothing words from behind her until her mind was a confused mess.

The fact she couldn't see anything left her body feeling extra sensitive to every sound and every touch.

"You should see how beautiful you look sweet. Your pussy already glistening and throbbing for Theo's cock. You want him desperately don't you?"

"Y-Yes!" Hermione moaned, her hips already thrusting in the air around her.

Draco laughed but it sounded strained. "Can't wait anymore." He said through gritted teeth. "I'm going to take you now sweetheart. I'm going to work my cock into your arse and then Theo is going to fuck your pussy for me."

His words accompanied by Theo's hands spreading her cheeks for Draco had her stiffening in apprehension.

"Relax for me sweet. It's going to feel so good, I promise."

He began embedding his cock into her tight entrance. The pain that was initially arousing and manageable as he stretched her muscles soon turned to shocking discomfort, robbing her off her breath.

Theo still held her cheeks apart for Draco, cradling her into his body, his lips moving softly over her skin as he both soothed and praised her. "Good girl, relax for Draco and it won't hurt as much" as well as other words of encouragement had her wriggling her head further into his neck.

The pain flared hotter until hot tears were soaking the material of her blindfold. And yet she didn't want it stop. She wanted to feel Draco buried deep inside her arse, wanted to hear the pleasure it would give him to be so. And so she gritted her teeth and clamped down on her lip.

"That's it Hermione. You're doing well. I know it hurts. But you can take Draco. Your body was made for him."

Theo's words kept her focused and she forced her body to accept Draco. When he paused briefly to ask her in a shaking voice if she was okay, Hermione sobbed for him to continue.

"Oh Merlin Draco…Please…"

"Please what sweet? Do you want more?"

_More?_ "Yes! Yes! More!" Merlin she wanted everything.

She felt the tip of Theo's cock rub against the folds of her pussy and she moved her body ever so slightly back and forth, the friction against her clit ebbing away the flaring pain from her body.

When she got too excited and pushed back against Theo's cock more vigorously, she inadvertently speared herself on Draco's cock and they both gasped as Draco slid in fully. Her body gave out completely and she slumped down on Theo whose arms came to wrap around her firmly, holding her immobile and not letting her slip away.

Draco allowed her a few short moments to get used to the feeling of him being stuffed up her arse before he palmed her cheeks and slid out slowly. Hermione could feel her muscles protesting against his retreat, the pain still present at his every movement. But the knowledge that he would be filling her once again in the next moment had her pussy seeping.

She cried out loudly when he did. His hands were shaking as he touched every part of her body that he could get a hold off, branding her as his with every touch.

"Now!" he said in a hoarse voice and she heard Theo's groan of relief in her ear.

He began to fist his cock into the now incredibly tiny opening of her pussy, Draco's cock pushing the space available to an insufficient amount just as he had once promised her it would.

"Open up for me Hermione. Let me in." Theo strained beneath her.

Draco shifted out slightly and that was all he needed to slam home. Hermione let out a loud wail as she felt them both trapped within her.

"Oh Merlin, Draco!" she sobbed out. "I can't!"

"Yes you can. You have." He told her in a dark voice. "Now you just have to take."

Theo lunged out of her before Draco did the same. Theo's plunge back in was so forceful Hermione's body hitched further up his body despite his arm clamp and she cried out. Then he retreated and Draco plunged back into her tight passage. The rhythm developed quickly, neither party present having the control anymore to torture or play. They slammed into her alternatively, Hermione always having one cock within her at all times and she found herself contracting around them quickly.

"Oh Draco! Draco! I'm coming!"

"Come for me sweet. Tighten your body around mine so tight you won't let me go."

His words pushed her over the edge and she climaxed with a loud exploding wail. Theo's exclaim of "Sweet fucking Merlin," was drowned out by her cries but her body heard Draco's growls and savoured them.

Both wizards came within her, their seed so hot it seared her from the inside out. When her body calmed enough to allow Draco to retreat, he fell to the mattress on her side and he immediately pulled her off Theo's panting body and curled her into his side. The blindfold was removed from her around her head and her gaze fell straight onto Draco's eyes.

"Your mine now sweet. I'm not letting you go. Say it."

"…I'm yours." She acknowledged as she closed her eyes and burrowed deeper into his side, her body satiated and exhausted.

"Do you want me to leave?" she heard Theo ask Draco from behind her. She couldn't bring herself to open her eyes to see Draco's response but she assumed he must have given a silent nod as she felt Theo begin to rise. She listened detachedly as he shuffled back into his clothes before the bed dipped once more as he kneeled back onto it.

Her eyes did open though when she felt him grip her chin and turn it towards him. Before she could think, he pressed his lips to hers in a quick but authoritative kiss. Hermione's gasp of shock at both the action and the realisation that this was the first time she was kissing him this evening had her mouth opening slightly and Theo took advantage by quickly sliding his tongue against hers.

Draco's possessive growl had Theo pulling his head back, his gaze amused as he took in her wide eyes and Draco's angry ones.

"See you soon Granger." he said before he popped off the bed and apparated out.

The room fell silent and she looked up at Draco curiously.

"Go to sleep sweet. I'll answer your many questions in the morning."

And Hermione slept.

**ooooo**

The next morning Hermione woke up early. She was once again sprawled all over Draco's body and she shifted carefully, not wanting to wake him. She knew if he did, he wouldn't let her leave and she needed to take a shower and think…alone.

Miraculously, she managed to creep out of the room without Draco stirring. She hurried across the chilly Manor, her bare feet running on tiptoes to minimise the amount of skin touching the cold floor and she breathed out an audible sigh of relief as she climbed the staircase and jogged to her room.

Once inside, she closed the door softly behind her as if the sound would wake Draco up despite him being a long way away. Stepping into the shower, she let the warm spray soothe away the minimal soreness lingering in her muscles and she scrubbed her hair with her shampoo, hoping that the harsh motions would dislodge the answers she was looking for from her mind.

She wasn't sure what she should be feeling. She'd slept with two men…_at the same time_. Yes she'd been fantasising of it for years but those were just dreams…but those dreams were now a reality. Just thinking the thoughts had her body responding, the once comforting spray of water now prickling as it hit her sensitising skin.

What did it mean? She wasn't a fool enough to deny that she hadn't enjoyed last night…dear Merlin, she couldn't believe she had just admitted that out loud…but she had also enjoyed making love with only Draco later on that night after she'd had a few hours sleep.

Was he going to invite Theo to join them all the time now? And on the subject of Theo, just how in Merlin's name did Draco know him? Hermione had been under the impression that Draco didn't have any close contacts anymore; he certainly hadn't told her any differently when they'd been discussing him and his friends.

Had he? She cast her mind back to their conversation and tried to remember exactly what he'd said.

"_What about your friends?" _

"_No." _

"_No?" _

"_No, I don't have contact with him since I was released from Azkaban. _

Hermione groaned. He'd immediately jumped to the conclusion that she was asking about Blaise…which she had been…and the conversation had gone on from there. She sighed as she switched off the water and wrung the excess liquid from her hair.

Wrapping herself up in a huge fluffy towel, she quickly dried her body before shrugging on her dressing gown. It was still early, she knew that from the fact she couldn't yet hear any birds singing in the pitch blackness outside and so she slipped back into her bed, leaning against the headboard as she reached over for the notes on her bedside table.

She began scanning through the sheets of parchment, looking for any obvious mistakes but she found her mind wandering. Sadly, she remembered just how much work she had got through yesterday. She should have been pleased, after all that was what she was here for, but she wasn't. She had known that Draco wouldn't be happy at how little she had left to do but she hadn't thought she would feel the same. Except here she was, the realisation that she would soon be leaving the Manor fully dawning on her.

Where did that leave her and Draco…and their relationship? How would things work when Draco refused to leave the Manor?

She had always been so independent, loving the life she had carved for herself, not just her job but her social life too. She would have never given it up for anyone and the fact she was even _debating_ the idea now left her feeling scared at how far she'd fallen…and so _quickly!_

Her head began to ache as the questions ran through it and she groaned before flopping over onto the pillows. Shoving the wet hair off her face, Hermione knew what she needed to do. She needed to talk. First with Draco…and then with Ginny.

She wasn't looking forward to either discussion.

ooo

She must have fallen asleep as she woke up to the feel of Draco kissing a path of wet kisses down her chest. She opened her eyes to find herself back in his bedroom and back in his bed. Draco stopped when he realised she was awake. He crawled back up her.

"You were gone." He stated in a gently chiding voice.

Hermione turned her body into his and threw her arm over his waist, hugging him slightly in a non-verbal apology.

"We need to talk." She said, speaking the dreaded words against his chest and keeping her eyes firmly closed instead of looking at him like the coward she was suddenly feeling like.

She felt Draco sigh stir her hair. He brought her chin up until she was looking at him. "Ask."

Hermione felt herself shift uncomfortably. She would feel better having this conversation with the both of them clothed and not touching but she had a feeling Draco wasn't going to let her go in the ingrained fear he had that she would run away.

"What happens now?" she asked him.

Draco frowned. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, what happens now? How do we go on? I'll be leaving soon." Her words were cut off when she felt Draco squeezing her to him tightly. "Draco!" she gasped out as she felt herself struggling to breathe.

He immediately let go and kissed her on the forehead in regret. She sighed and settled back against him.

He said nothing and so she continued with an easier question. "How do you know Theo? Hamilton told me that you haven't had any company for years."

"It's complicated."

Hermione smiled slightly. "Isn't everything?" she asked lightly.

"I'm an investor in Theo's business."

Hermione lifted her head at the information, feeling stupid at the thought that she had imagined Draco could live off his family's dwindling money supply forever. She made to ask what kind of business Theo had when Draco continued.

"He owns a business that supplies potions to St Mungo's and other apothecaries in the country. It saves the establishments having to brew the potions themselves. I invested when I came out of Azkaban."

"How did you know about his business?" she asked curiously, surprised that she herself didn't know about it, especially since his customers included St Mungo's.

"He came to the Manor a few weeks after I'd come back home. The papers had been going crazy, wanting to get a picture of the recluse I'd turned into," he said the words so bitterly that Hermione hugged him tighter, "and whatever injury I had. Theo came to apologise."

"Apologise?"

"The wizard who cursed me in Azkaban…it was Theo's father."

Hermione threw her head up as she stared at Draco. He said nothing, letting the information settle into her as he absently stroked her cheek.

"But…we…last night…" she stumbled.

"Theo isn't his father sweet. He's a good wizard. He never took the Dark Mark and he didn't have to come and apologise for his father's actions but he did. We may not have been as close as I was with Blaise during Hogwarts but we did share a few girls." He admitted.

Hermione dropped her head back onto Draco's chest as embarrassment burned her cheeks. Merlin, there was no other word for it. Every wizard in Slytherin was a man-whore…but wait, what did that make her?

She shifted again as the uncomfortable question churned her stomach. She pushed the feeling away.

"He's the only other wizard in the Wizarding World that I would trust with you."

Hermione burrowed in further. "Is he always…you know." She ended up saying as her words trailed off.

Draco chuckled. "Are you telling me that you didn't enjoy last night sweet? Because I think you would be lying to me again and you know how I feel about that."

"I did enjoy it…but I like just you and me too." She said worriedly.

"Don't fret sweet. Theo will only join us when I ask him to…when I think you need it…or need to be punished."

His words had her pussy throbbing even as relief fell on her shoulders before another burden caused her to tense up again. "What are we going to do when I leave the Manor?"

"You won't be leaving." Draco told her in a stubborn voice.

Hermione sighed at his tone. "Draco…be serious-"

"I am. You're _mine_ sweet. You said so last night. I'm not sharing you with others."

His words rankled her. It was everything she was worried about. She pushed away from him. "I have a life Draco-"

"You're my life."

She ignored his words. "I have a job…and friends…I can't just give it all up."

Draco looked down at her with heated eyes but she refused to back down. Holing up in the Manor wouldn't be good for her or Draco. He needed to start living his life again. Their relationship would never work otherwise. Hermione now knew that she wouldn't give her life and if Draco didn't have one of his own, he would begin to resent her for the time she might spend away from him.

"We don't need to talk about this now." He said, leaning down to kiss her.

Hermione shoved him away and sat up in the bed, wrapping the sheet around her body. "Yes we do…we need to figure things out."

"Don't push me sweetheart." Draco said as he sat up himself, pushing the thin sheet away from him as he made to stand.

Hermione jumped forward to wrap her arm around his wrist and she pulled with all her might until he sat back down again.

"No! Don't walk away from me. You said you didn't want me to change. I need to know where we stand."

Draco didn't look pleased but at least he wasn't making any moves to walk off to the bathroom anymore. Hermione took that as a win…albeit a small one.

"Why can't you be pleased with what I'm offering you? You would be able to quit your job; you could spend your life here with me. Any other witch would jump at the chance."

Hermione sighed. "I'm not like any other witch. I'm me...and you know that. You know that I love my job. Even if I could, I wouldn't give it up."

Draco exhaled loudly as he pulled her towards him. "I know." He whispered reluctantly against her forehead.

There was silence for a few moments.

"I'm not going to leave you Draco." His hands tightened around her but he said nothing. "You've spent too long hiding Draco." She felt him stiffen. "Live your life…" she said as she leaned back so she could look at him, "Live your life with me."

He was scared. She knew it instinctively. Not that he would ever admit it out loud.

"I'm not going to spring anything on you until I know you can handle it. We'll proceed in little steps." She told him in reminiscent of one of their previous conversations.

Draco grunted in amusement but she felt him relax against her. Hermione allowed herself a few more moments of being pressed up against the warmth of his body before she stirred.

"I should get back to my work." She told him.

Draco moved back. "Go ahead. I'll join you with breakfast in fifteen minutes."

Hermione nodded as she watched him move into the bathroom. When she heard the run of water from the shower, she walked back to her room and quickly scribbled out a note. She pondered briefly over the words before she realised that there was nothing she could say that would make the recipients say yes and agree to her plan. She only hoped they were ready to put the past behind and try again...for Draco's sake.

ooo

She received her reply surprisingly quickly. She and Draco had been working side by side for a few hours now. Draco had reacted as she had expected him to when he'd seen how she'd progressed with the work yesterday despite her telling her not to. He purposely worked slowly, trailing his fingers over and studying the books for much longer than necessary before pulling them from the shelves and passing them to her. Hermione too, found herself writing up her notes half-heartedly and without her usual enthusiasm. She'd think up points that she needed to make a note of before she'd compel her mind to forget them so she could think them up again at a later point in time.

When Hamilton popped in to give her the letter, Draco looked over at her curiously. She could have lied and said it was from her boss or from Harry or Ginny but she didn't want to fib…yet.

Shifting slightly so Draco wouldn't be able to see the words written on the crisp parchment, she unfolded the message quickly.

She hoped fervently that somewhere in the words was an agreement of her offer. And then she would tell Draco who was behind the letter. If they'd declined, then she would tell him it was from her boss before destroying it and he wouldn't be any the wiser and more importantly, she wouldn't be hurting him unnecessarily.

"Who is the letter from?"

Hermione looked up and swallowed. "I wrote to someone a few hours ago, inviting them for dinner here tonight."

Draco stiffened as he narrowed his eyes. "What?"

"Little steps, remember?" she told him. "This way you don't have to leave the Manor and I picked guests that I thought you would be comfortable with."

She watched Draco's throat bob as he swallowed. "And?"

"And…Blaise and Pansy will be joining us at seven."

Her words were met with silence. Draco had reeled back when she'd said Blaise's name and he looked dumbstruck.

"Draco?" she hedged when the silence stretched.

He cleared his throat. "Blaise…They agreed?"

She nodded and Draco turned back to face the books on the shelf.

"Are you okay?" she asked nervously.

Draco nodded his head before he stood from the table and jumped down to the floor. He looked out the window as she peered at him over the table edge.

"I need to let Hamilton know that we are planning to have extra guests for dinner."

"Okay…Are you coming back?"

He looked up at her before his gaze softened. "Yes." Was all he said before he walked out of the room.

Hermione got back to work, not questioning the fact that Draco could have merely called Hamilton to the library and informed him about their dinner guests. She would give him the time he needed to sort out his thoughts.

This dinner would mark a new start in her and Draco's relationship but she had a feeling it wouldn't be an easy one.

ooo

At ten to seven both Draco and Hermione were waiting nervously in a sitting room that Hermione had never been in before. The room had been aired throughout the day and the huge roaring fire should have made the area feel welcoming but it didn't. Hermione watched Draco hesitantly as he stood by the fire, staring into the flames with his right hand nursing a tumbler of firewhiskey.

He'd been brooding all day and now that he was staring contemplatively into the fire, Hermione was panicking that she may have made the wrong decision and pushed him too far too quickly.

It was only when she had been transfiguring her T-shirt into a formal black dress that she'd realised she hadn't thought about how Blaise and Pansy would react to her presence. Despite what Draco had told her about Pansy and all she had been through, the sympathetic details were technically ones that Hermione shouldn't know about. Pansy had not exactly been the kindest witch to her in Hogwarts and whether the act was just a front or not, Hermione had a sinking feeling it would reappear again tonight. As for Blaise, the fact she was at the Manor and had written to him- surely he would know that she and Draco were sleeping together?

She sighed as she watched Draco take another sip of the amber liquid. These three people had so much history together. She felt uncomfortable at the fact she would be here when they came together for the first time in so many years.

She prayed to Merlin that things went well.

A loud knock had them both lifting their heads to the open door. Hermione stood from her seat and flicked her eyes over to Draco as he knocked back the remaining whiskey and vanished the glass from sight. She walked over to him and felt better when he gave her a small smile and rubbed her back with one of his hands.

Together they faced the door and waited for Hamilton to lead their guests into the room. Hermione smiled as she thought over how the little elf had been bouncing around the Manor excitedly at the prospect of Mr Zabini stepping foot into the Manor once again. Hermione had been the subject to many beaming smiles whenever she'd come across him.

Let's just hope she had a reason to be smiling about at the end of the night.

When she heard the garble of voices nearing the room, she stood up straighter and pasted a welcoming smile on her face. She held her breath in when Hamilton entered the room.

Her eyes first fell on Blaise and she took in his tall form, smooth features and dark eyes. Her gaze then shifted to Pansy but before she could process the witch's features, she looked down at the small child being carried in her arms.

From beside her, she heard Draco take in a hissing breath and she settled against him more firmly. No-one spoke for a few moments before Draco and Blaise walked to the middle of the room silently. She watched Draco gruffly extend his arm and Blaise took it gratefully, a large smile showing off his pearly white teeth.

Hermione cleared the emotions clogging her throat. Widening her smile, she stepped over to the two wizards. "Blaise," she said, "thank you for accepting our invitation." She stated, making out that the invitation had come from both her and Draco.

Blaise's smile made it seem like he saw right through her. "It was our pleasure." He said smoothly and Hermione smiled as she turned to face Pansy.

The black haired witch was still standing at the door of the room, her eyes flicking back and forth between her and Draco.

"Please, come in and sit down."

Pansy stepped further into the room and when she was stood next to Blaise, he wrapped a comforting arm around her waist before squeezing. Hermione watched Draco take a step back as he saw the child in Pansy's arms.

"Pansy. It's lovely to see you again." He said softly.

Pansy's responding smile wobbled slightly in the corners as she shifted her sleeping child higher up in her arms. Hermione watched the little girl begin to rouse. "It's good to see you too Draco." she said in an equally soft voice.

They all sat down.

"How have you both been?" Draco asked, his gaze…his uneasy gaze Hermione realised…on Blaise and Pansy's daughter. She could feel the tension in his body and wished she could do something to alleviate it. She knew he was worried about what the little girl's reaction would be when she saw Draco's scars.

"We've been well." Blaise replied.

Not wanting there to be a lull in the conversation, Hermione spoke, directing her question to Pansy. "How old is your daughter?"

Pansy seemed surprised at the question and when she didn't reply, Blaise spoke for her. "Isabella is three."

"It's a beautiful name." she said to Pansy.

"Thank You." She replied, her voice containing an edge that had Hermione frowning. But it seemed as if the other two occupants in the room were oblivious to it. Was she reading too much into it?

"- you got married?" she heard Draco ask.

Both guests tensed at the question before Blaise nodded.

"Good. That's good."

Draco's words seemed to allow them to relax once more. Hamilton chose that moment to enter the room to offer everyone drinks.

As Isabella fussed sleepily in her mother's arm, Pansy blushed. "I'm sorry about bringing her tonight. Our nanny isn't well."

Hermione rushed to ease her. "Don't be silly. The more the merrier." She announced.

"I can have Hamilton offer you a room in which she can sleep in if you wish?" Draco rumbled out.

Pansy shook her head and laughed nervously. "No, she won't sleep anymore."

"That's great. She can join us for dinner. I'm sure Hamilton won't mind preparing something for her."

"Of course not Miss Granger." Hamilton said from his position by the drinks tray.

"She'll eat any type of pasta with a tomato sauce." Blaise told Hamilton.

"Hamilton will prepare a meal for Miss Isabella right away Mr Zabini."

"Thank you Hamilton." Blaise grinned as he watched the elf leave the room before he turned to face her. "I was surprised to hear from you this morning."

Hermione blushed as Draco spoke. "Hermione's an antiquarian. She's been cataloguing the Manor's possessions."

"Draco let you into the Manor? You must be a very special witch." Blaise teased causing her cheeks to burn further.

Hermione moved her nervous gaze to Pansy but she was looking at her husband in confusion. Hermione quickly looked away. Thankfully, Blaise took pity on her as the next few moments were spent chatting about how long she'd been working at the Manor and what she had found so far. The only little hiccup came when she inadvertently let slip that she was staying at the Manor and not just working in it. There had been a brief stagnant pause before it had been non-verbally deemed best if they all ignored her words.

Hamilton re-entered the room and announced dinner was ready and they all walked into the dining room before taking their seats. The three Zabini's were seated opposite her and Draco. They had just sat down when Hermione saw Isabella pull at the sleeve of her mother's robes.

"I have to go to the toilet Mama." She said in a loud whisper.

Hermione smiled. "I'll show you where it is." Hermione said, standing from her own seat. Pansy and Isabella stood from theirs.

"I'm sure Pansy can remember where the bathroom is sweet." Draco told her.

Hermione paused. Of course Pansy would have been to the Manor before. She decided to pretend she hadn't heard Draco's words, wanting to give him and Blaise a few minutes alone to catch up. "We'll be back in a few." She said before the three of them left the room.

The nearest bathroom was only a few doors away from the main dining room but Hermione walked straight past it and if Pansy knew what she had done, she didn't let on, continuing to walk side by side with Hermione, her hand clutching onto her daughter's hand tightly.

When they meandered to the second bathroom, Hermione debated on skipping it once more had she not caught the adorable scrunched up look on Isabella's face.

"It's just through here." She said, indicating towards the closed door.

"Can you go by yourself?" Pansy asked.

Isabella nodded quickly before entering the room and firmly closing the door behind her, leaving Hermione and Pansy alone.

"So you've been here for two weeks?"

"Just under that."

Pansy hummed knowingly, leaving Hermione feeling suddenly on edge. Maybe it would have been better if she'd stayed in the dining room?

"Draco certainly doesn't waste any time in getting what he wants."

Hermione's eyes flew upwards. "Excuse me?"

Pansy laughed. "Oh come on Granger. You can't be so naïve. Has he asked you to fuck another man yet?"

Hermione froze. "I don't think that's any of your business."

The door to the bathroom opened and both witches took a step apart and glanced down.

"Did you wash your hands _cara?_" Pansy asked her daughter who seemed to debate the question for a touch longer than necessary before nodding her head.

Pansy laughed and herded Isabella back into the bathroom, leaving Hermione struck still at the change in the other witch's features when she chuckled with pleasure to the bitter laugh she had emitted moments before. Hermione watched Pansy look over her daughter fondly before she sighed and turned back to face her.

"Look, I don't mean to be cruel. This is hard for me. Draco, Blaise and I have had a difficult relationship that I thought was in the past…I just want you to be aware of what it entails to have a relationship with a wizard from Slytherin. I love Blaise very much, and he loves me too…but it doesn't mean our lives are easy. Draco will demand everything from you and eventually, in time…he'll give you everything too. But before that he'll be possessive and jealous and controlling. Can you handle that?"

"You sound like you're talking from experience." Hermione stated.

Pansy smiled wryly. "I am. And out of the two, Blaise is much easier going than Draco ever was. Just be careful. Despite everything, Draco doesn't deserve to get hurt."

On that ominous note, Isabella exited from the bathroom and the three made their way back to the dining room.

Hamilton had held dinner for them and as soon as they had taken their seats, he appeared and began placing their plates down in front of them.

"Is everything okay?" Draco asked softly.

Hermione turned towards him and relaxed her features into a smile. "Everything's fine." She said as she gave his hand a quick squeeze under the table. Her answer didn't smooth the frown lines between Draco's eyes but Hermione simply turned back to her food and began eating. Soon enough, Draco did the same, all the while keeping a firm grasp on her hand.

ooo

"So are you going to tell me what you and Pansy discussed on your walk to the loo earlier?" Draco asked as he slid into the bed next to her.

The remainder of the meal had gone well. The topics of conversation had been kept light and when Isabella had nearly nodded off during dessert, it had been the general consensus that they'd lingered over dinner for long enough. But Hermione had achieved what she had hoped for when Blaise had told Draco that he would be Owling him soon in order to meet up again.

Draco had nodded his head once but she had seen the surprise and carefully hidden delight in his eyes.

"Nothing important. Just chit chat on how things have changed since Hogwarts."

She wasn't sure if Draco believed her lie but she was glad he accepted it nonetheless. "I didn't thank you for inviting them tonight."

"You don't have to thank me for that." She told him.

He shushed her with his fingers against her lips. "Yes I do. I didn't expect…just thank you."

He brushed his lips against hers, giving her a tantalising kiss that left her breathless. "You're welcome." She panted out when he moved his head back. She looked him in the eye, waiting for him to make the first move in initiating whatever they would be doing that evening and grew puzzled when he looked at her with amused eyes.

"Go to sleep sweet. Don't think I didn't see you stifling those yawns during dessert."

"I woke up early." She defended.

Draco growled. "Don't remind me." His arm wrapped securely around her waist. "I expect you to be here when I wake up tomorrow morning." He told her.

Hermione smiled. "Maybe." She quipped as she snuggled into his chest further.

She squeaked when Draco slapped her arse lightly. "Minx." He said before he closed her eyes.

Hermione breathed in deeply as Pansy's words drifted through her mind once more. She pushed the thoughts away. She was going into this relationship with Draco with wide open eyes and last night made her quite clear on just what Draco would demand from their relationship.

And Hermione was perfectly happy to offer it to him.

**ooooo**

When Hermione and Draco made their way into the library the next day, it became perfectly clear that today would be the day that Hermione would finish her work. The aisles holding the books with titles beginning with X, Y and Z were not as fully stocked as some of the more common letters and in a strange twist of fate, none of the books that Hermione was sifting through were of any professional interest to her.

Draco had left her alone when he'd seen how much work was left, evidently hoping that if she carried it out alone then it would mean her stay at the Manor with him would be prolonged.

When Hermione finished a mere two hours after she and Draco had first stepped into the library, she sighed audibly, still clutching onto the last book on the shelf, willing it to turn into something she needed to make even just a smattering of notes on. But it didn't and her hopes of even extending her stay by a day had vanished since she'd checked over all her notes yesterday afternoon.

Feeling decidedly depressed, Hermione slowly shrunk the table she was sitting before she walked out of the library and back to her bedroom. She fired off an obligatory quik-e-note to her boss, letting him know she had completed her work before she set off to find Draco.

A quick word with Hamilton let her know that he had spent the morning wandering over the estate and so Hermione bundled up warm before she trudged out onto the dewy grounds.

The once green grass was bathed in a sea of white frost that hadn't melted in the sun's rays yet and she enjoyed the crunch of it beneath her feet as she looked around for Draco. She had become more comfortable with the grounds since Draco had shown her around and she was aware that she could call Hamilton to apparate her back to the Manor if she got lost. She had pointed out to Draco that if he relaxed his wards then she too would be able to apparate around the Manor.

He had made some quip that she couldn't quite remember and the matter hadn't been talked about since. Hermione knew Draco was worried about the fact she would be able to freely leave if he changed the wards and she grew more anxious at what his reaction would be when she did finally find him and told him she'd finished her work. Hopefully the hours he'd spent walking around would have begun to help the message sink in already.

She found him a few cold minutes later, his hunched form sitting on a bench in the distance. She walked up to him in small steps, the crunch of her feet making him aware of her presence long before she reached him. He straightened his form but didn't stand from the bench and when she reached him, she quickly brushed the space next to him before sitting down and huddling her body into his.

"I've finished." She said in a quiet voice, her heavy breathing causing swirls of whispers to form by her mouth.

Draco said nothing, only nodded and she breathed out.

"I've sent my boss a note telling him so." She found herself adding.

Draco took in a deep breath. "So that's it. You're free to leave." He stated stiffly.

Hermione found herself struggling to breathe at the defeat in his voice. Her heart actually felt like it was hurting. What could she do to show him that she wasn't going to disappear into the sunset and forget all about him?

Pulling off her gloves, she reached up her hand and lifted it to his cheek, applying pressure in order to get him to face her. Draco lifted her hand off his face and brought it to his lips, kissing the tip of each finger and warming her skin. But still he didn't look at her.

Hermione sighed as she took matters into her own hands. Standing from the bench, she moved until she was stood in front of him. Pushing him back until his spine hit the wooden beam behind him, she slid onto his lap, her palms coming to cup his face in her hands with enough force until he wasn't able to look anywhere other than at her.

"I'm leaving the Manor Draco but that doesn't mean I'm not going to come back." He didn't look as if he believed a word she was saying and the expression angered her. "What have I done to make you feel like I'm going to leave and forget you?" she demanded. Not giving him time to answer, she continued. "Nothing!"

She saw him flinch and her heart pained further. His eyes were downcast and she feathered her lips across his face, starting with the scars first. She felt him stiffen from underneath her but she refused to move when his hands gripped her waist in order to pull her away.

"I'm not going to leave you." She whispered into his ear before pulling her head back. Her eyes looked straight into his. "Trust me." She said.

At her words, Draco seemed to slump beneath her and she was pulled tightly into him. His kiss was harsh, his tongue pushing between her lips, licking and caressing and sucking, doing everything that always resulted in her being reduced to a quivering heap. Her subsequent shiver was one of arousal but Draco took it as she was cold and he apparated them back into his bedroom.

Their clothes were half pulled and half magicked off their bodies, leaving them both naked. Draco didn't hesitate as he pushed her onto the bed and crawled over her, his fingers skimming up her sides and causing her to jerk at the ticklish sensations. They played in the same vein for a few more moments before Draco pulled back, a serious expression suddenly crossing over his face as he ran a piece of her hair through his finger and thumb.

Hermione kissed him softly. "Let me love you." She whispered.

She reached up for him, clasping her arms around his neck and bringing his head down to meet her mouth. For the first time since their relationship began, she claimed him with a kiss. She felt Draco shiver as he descended his body overs hers, his heat chasing away any remaining chills. She felt his hand reach in between her thighs and gently spread her legs. Two fingers parted her folds and a finger eased in. Hermione clenched around him purposely until he couldn't move.

"I was supposed to be loving you." She told him.

Draco chuckled and the intense look on his face was chased away. "Didn't I make it clear on a previous occasion that in the bedroom, I have all the control?" he said as he curled his finger inside her.

He hit a spot that had her jerking and slamming her hips into his in surprise. She stared up at him with wide eyes and she immediately relaxed her sheath of muscles, allowing him to enter her with another finger.

He pumped slowly, occasionally rewarding her with another hit of the sweet spot only to retreat and listen to her pleading once more. Pulling his fingers from her, he lifted them to his lips before moving one into his mouth and sucking the tip.

Hermione swallowed convulsively. It was silly how aroused she became by the single act. Draco had tasted her multiple times, just as she had him, but something about him looking into her eyes and lapping her cream off his finger was just so…shocking.

He cleaned his finger completely before he kissed her and Hermione gasped at the new taste of his tongue. It was him…but it was also her.

She shifted impatiently beneath him but he was determined to set the pace. He entered her slowly, a shudder climbing up his body as he eased in. Inching forward, Hermione urged him on with her words and kisses and hands and feet.

And then in a single surprising movement, he plunged into her fully. Hermione cried out as she felt their hips jar together. Her fingers dug into his shoulders as he began to thrust into her powerfully. It was such a short amount of time but she could already feel herself quivering around him, her pussy gripping him and fluttering softly. Oh Merlin, she was so close and they'd only just started!

"_My_ Hermione." Draco murmured in her ear. "_My_ sweet girl."

Hermione fused her lips with his again, her limbs now gripping him tightly. Draco shifted, raising himself on his arms slightly so his hand could reach down between their bodies. His thumb found her clit and he began thrumming, urging her along to her rapidly peaking climax.

Above her, Draco clenched his teeth together and just when he tipped Hermione off the edge, he stopped moving. Hermione groaned at the feeling of him lodged motionless inside her. Her release washed over her in crashing waves and it was only when the final shake had been wrung for her body that she realised he hadn't found his own release yet.

Forcing her heavy limbs into motion, she lifted her hips invitingly and rolled her body against him. Burying his head in her neck, Draco groaned hoarsely as he pulled back and slammed back in repeatedly. A few short moments later, he erupted within her, the relief in his body causing him to collapse down on top of her. Hermione savoured the feel of his weight, knowing he would all too quickly fall to her side and reverse their positions.

When his head did lift, Hermione clung to him like a barnacle but it made no difference. Draco merely dug an arm beneath her back and lifted her as if she weighed nothing before reversing their positions and depositing her on top of him.

She kissed his chest and ran her nose against the line of his sternum as she slinked up his body until she could look into his eyes. "I'm not going to leave you Draco." she promised.

He said nothing and Hermione was shocked to see his grey eyes sheen with liquid. Before she could say anything, Draco pulled her head into his neck and simply held her against him tightly.

ooo

Hamilton brought them their lunch in the parlour. Hermione had showered in Draco's room and quickly clothed herself in her scourgified clothes before she had walked to her bedroom whilst Draco took his own shower. When she had entered she had seen a note fluttering by the window. She had instantly known that the letter was from her boss and she knew what it would say even before she opened it. And when she did so, her worst fears were confirmed.

She winced at the thought of having to break the news to Draco on how soon she would be leaving but she knew it couldn't be helped. And the sooner she left then the sooner Draco would know that she would come back to him.

Which was why Hermione told him straight out after Hamilton had brought them their food.

"My boss wants to see my notes today. I'll have to go to the office and then get things sorted out at home. Harry and Ginny have been looking after Crookshanks for me so I'll need to visit them. They haven't seen me in a long time so I'll probably won't be able to leave for a few hours." She garbled out.

Draco took in a deep breath before breathing out through his nose. "I changed the wards to the Manor whilst you were in the shower. You can leave when you wish…and come back if you wish."

"_When _I wish." Hermione told him firmly.

Draco nodded before he took a bite of his sandwich. After a moment, Hermione followed him before an idea hit her.

"Why don't you come over to my house for dinner tonight?"

Draco was startled by her question before he quickly masked it behind his usual facade. "Why don't you return here for supper?"

Hermione smiled and kept her ground. "Or you could come to my house?" She said lightly.

Draco's mouth twitched in the corners. "…Very well…I will apparate to your cottage."

Hermione hid her satisfied smile by taking another bite of her sandwich. She bobbed her head. "I'll change my wards so you can apparate in whenever you wish." She mimicked.

Draco nodded and they ate the rest of their lunch in comfortable peace.

ooo

Hermione was nervous. Which was absolutely ridiculous because she had no reason to be. Well no sane reason at least. She had fretted over what to make for dinner even though she knew Draco wouldn't have a problem eating anything she made. And then she'd fretted about what she should wear- should she dress up or wear her everyday clothes as she had been doing at the Manor? And then she had fretted about what Draco would think about her little cottage. Hermione had always loved the comfy cosiness of her home but after living at the Manor- she was finally realising just how easily comfy cosiness could be mistaken for small.

And then thoughts of small had made her fret erratically about the size of her bed. The double bed was big enough…had been big enough for her in the past but she had gotten used to sprawling all over Draco's huge bed. And he had certainly gotten used to dragging her around all over it and making love to her in various positions. Would he find her bed too small? Hermione had a horrible image of her falling right off it in the middle of them having sex.

And the worst thing was that in the comfy cosiness of her cottage, she didn't even have any room to magically extend her bed and make it more suitable.

She sighed out loud as she checked over dinner one last time before realising she could do nothing more than wait for Draco to apparate over. Crookshanks curled around her ankles, needy after being attention deprived for almost two weeks and Hermione reached down and petted him the way he liked, resulting in him purring loudly.

Her mind wandered over the conversation she'd had with the Potters earlier that afternoon. She'd been inundated with hugs from Ginny and worried looks from Harry.

"You promised you would join us for Christmas dinner at the Burrow," he'd scolded her, "Your note didn't say anything. It was Christmas- didn't Malfoy give you any time off?" he'd questioned.

Hermione had blushed as she'd remembered just what she'd been doing in the time off Draco had given her. Her flush had raised Harry's suspicions and he'd looked at her with narrowed green eyes but Hermione had dismissed his question with a mere answer that it was easier to continue on with her work since she was so close to finishing.

She hadn't liked lying to him but she was definitely not ready to tell anyone about her relationship with Draco yet. They'd demand to meet him and she wasn't sure he was ready for that yet and she certainly didn't want to push him into doing anything he wasn't comfortable with.

It was funny how desperately she'd wanted to talk to Ginny over the past few days but face to face with her oldest girl friend had left her tongue feeling oddly swollen and lethargic. She'd ended up evading any questions they'd asked about her time at the Manor that didn't involve her work. She'd mistakenly told them that she'd eaten with Draco and they'd both pounced on the information before Hermione had back-tracked and stuttered that it had only been a welcome to the Manor dinner.

Another lie.

She'd told them both that she'd spent her days working and wandering over the infamous Malfoy grounds, having very little to do with Draco, all the while making sure she remembered to call him Malfoy. And then she'd switched the conversation over to the Christmas holidays. Ginny had happily begun filling her in on what she'd missed and Harry had been content to let her…for the time being. Hermione had seen the questions still stirring in his eyes.

After an hour at Godric's Hollow keeping up with all the lies and coming up with new ones on the spot whilst deflecting Harry and Ginny's questions was too much for her and she'd feigned tiredness. They'd let her go with Ginny extracting a promise that she and Harry would be taking her out soon for a "welcome-home" dinner. Hermione had pointed out that she'd only been away for two weeks but it hadn't seemed to have mattered.

A knock had Hermione's heart racing. She walked over to the front door quickly, hoping that it wasn't someone she knew and would need to invite in. She opened the door to find Draco standing on her front step.

"What are you doing out here?" she asked him as she stepped back so he could come in out of the light rain that was beginning to fall. "You could have just apparated in. I changed the wards."

Draco ran a hand through his slightly wet hair. "This is my first visit. I felt I should knock."

Hermione took his coat and quickly charmed it to hang itself. And then she turned to face him, suddenly feeling nervous once again as all her worries flooded over her mind again. She gave him what she hoped was a welcoming smile and told him to follow her before she hurried into the sitting room. She had stepped half way into the room when Draco pulled on her arm and drew her around into his body.

"Is that any way to greet me?" he growled as he looked down at her with flashing eyes.

Hermione smiled shyly as she turned her face up further; inviting him to take the greeting he wanted. She expected him to kiss her and she let out a squeak which was quickly muffled by his mouth when he wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her up off her feet. Her legs immediately curled around his waist in order to secure herself further and she smiled as he licked across her lips.

"Put me down!" she laughed as he began walking over to her three person couch. He sat down on the middle seat, leaving her still tightly pressed up against him, her pushes to get off him doing nothing compared with the iron strength of his arms around her.

"So this is where you live." He said as his intelligent eyes took in everything.

Hermione wished she wasn't facing him, curiously wanting to see what he saw when he looked around her front room but he wouldn't let her move off him.

"It suits you." He stated finally.

Hermione frowned. "It suits me?"

Draco looked back at her. "I can imagine you living here. Just big enough for one."

Hermione laughed and scoffed at his thinking. She whacked him on the shoulder in chastisement for his answer but she knew her hit didn't even register with him.

"No hitting sweet. I'm the one who does the spanking in this relationship."

Hermione rolled her eyes even as she leant forward to kiss him once more.

"Supris- Oh my Merlin!"

Hermione cried out as she leaped off Draco upon hearing the twin pops of apparation. Underneath her, she felt Draco jolt violently with his own surprise. When Hermione turned around, she made sure she was covering as much of him from Harry and Ginny's view as possible.

"Wha- Harry! Ginny! What are you doing here?" she yelped, shock making her voice come out in a higher octave than normal.

Her hiding Draco from their view evidently wasn't very well executed as Ginny was staring wide eyed at him, her mouth open in a little "O" making Hermione want to die out of mortification.

"I think the question is what are you doing? We came to take you out for a welcome home dinner." Harry stated, his flashing eyes moving between her and Draco.

Hermione flushed under his reprimanding stare. His look was making her feel like a young witch having been caught doing something naughty by her older brother.

Oh Merlin- please don't let this ruin things with her and Draco, she prayed fervently.

And the mere thought of her losing Draco because of this situation had her standing up straight and squaring her shoulders as she faced Harry down.

"If you wouldn't mind waiting for me in the kitchen?" She asked steely, her tone making it evident she wasn't requesting it from him but demanding it.

Harry didn't look like he had any plans to move an inch but Ginny seemed to come out of her daze and after snapping her mouth closed, she prodded and pushed her husband out of the door.

Hermione took in a deep hesitant breath before she turned around to face Draco, wondering how much damage control she would need to carry out. "I'm so sorry," she told him, "I promise I had no clue they were going to be coming round." She said, her hands wringing together anxiously.

Draco had that dreaded blank look on his face. "I believe that was evident from Weasley's shout of surprise as she apparated in."

Hermione swallowed, not knowing what to say from there. "Actually it's Potter." She joked inappropriately, hoping to diffuse some of the tension.

At that moment she heard muffled yelling coming from the kitchen and winced at the domestic Harry and Ginny were obviously having on how to handle the situation. Hermione swallowed and looked back at Draco.

"I'll get rid of them." She told him.

Draco raised an eyebrow. "Maybe it would be best if we rescheduled." He stated woodenly.

"No! I-I can get rid of them." She told him.

"I don't think Potter has any plans to go anywhere tonight."

Hermione screamed, making a mental note to hex Harry Potter for making such a pig's ear of her evening. She had prayed that this evening went well and he had ruined it!

As Harry's bellows grew louder, Hermione sighed, knowing that Draco was right. "I'll explain things to him and then come to the Manor."

Draco looked startled at her solution as if he hadn't expected her to want to return to the Manor to see him. Hermione made a quick decision to get rid of Harry and Ginny as quickly as possible before apparating to the Manor. Maybe she could take the food she had cooked over to the Manor and she and Draco could still eat their dinner, albeit in a slightly different location than originally planned?

Draco sighed but nodded and Hermione gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before he apparated out. Her resulting sigh made it feel as if she had the weight of the entire world on her shoulders and she walked angrily into the kitchen.

She opened the door and both screaming Potters turned to face her. Their shouts stopped being directed at each other and their wrath was now directed at her. Hermione clenched her jaw before she waved her wand and placed a silencing charm on them both before her temper blew.

"What in Merlin's name was that?" she demanded, waiting for a split second for an answer before she realised she wasn't going to get one. Shaking her head, she continued. "Listen to me both of you because I only plan on saying this once!"

She turned away from Ginny to face Harry's furious face head on. At his look, some of her anger ebbed away. "I may have lied earlier…about how much time I spent with Draco when I was at the Manor."

Harry's eyes bugged out of his head when he heard her calling Draco by his first name. He mimed something heatedly and Hermione sighed anew.

"Look. I don't expect you to understand it…but I do expect you to be civil to him." She told Harry in a no-nonsense voice.

Ginny pulled slightly on the sleeve of Hermione's cardigan and she turned to face the red headed witch. Ginny gave her a small expecting smile and Hermione took the silencing charm off her. "I think we need to talk." She said before she looked at her husband. "Without Harry."

Harry turned to face his wife with betrayal in his eyes. "You'll wait for me at home and you will like it otherwise that silencing charm will be extended." She threatened.

Harry's eyes narrowed but he didn't open his mouth in a silent response. Seeing a truce on the horizon, Hermione tentatively took the charm off him. He continued to glare at Ginny who gave as good as she got before he rolled his eyes and disgruntledly apparated out.

Ginny lifted up a bottle of wine that Hermione had selected for her and Draco's dinner and Hermione reached out for it before she uncorked and poured a copious amount into two glasses.

"So are you going to tell me the truth?" Ginny asked.

Hermione swallowed. "I don't even know where to begin."

"From the beginning would be a good place." Ginny pipped.

And after another brief pause of hesitation, Hermione told Ginny the whole story…well except for choice bits and bobs.

Her friend listened with rapt attention on her face, gaping silently for a few seconds when Hermione finished. And then her mouth closed and a nervous expression crossed over her face. Hermione waited with bated breath for her verdict.

"So you like him?" she questioned unsurely.

Hermione nodded.

Ginny's nervous expression twisted further. "Mione, you do know what they said about Malfoy in Hogwarts don't you?"

Hermione could have laughed out loud and after a few hard moments of stifling her laughter, she did just that. "Contrary to what you all believed of me, I didn't spend every second of my spare time closeted away in the library."

Ginny's eyes widened. "S-So it's true?" she gasped. "He's really into…No wait don't tell me. I could never look Harry in the face again if I knew."

Hermione laughed at Ginny's reasoning, not that she would have answered her question anyway. Her and Draco's sex life was between her and Draco…and possibly Theo. Her cheeks warmed and Ginny saw that as a positive indication as she groaned out loud.

"So you're what? Seeing each other?" she asked unsurely.

"Something like that." Hermione hedged.

"Huh…"

"What are you thinking?" Hermione asked after a while.

Ginny chuckled. "I'm imaging everyone's reaction the first time Malfoy comes to a Weasley family dinner with you."

A wave of relief washed over Hermione. "I don't know how soon that's going to happen. Draco hasn't set foot out of the Manor in a long time."

"Why?" She asked puzzled.

"You're gaping probably didn't help matters."

Ginny frowned before she realised what Hermione was talking about. "His face?" she asked absurdly.

Hermione nodded.

Ginny scoffed. "Oh please, so he has a few scars. Everyone has scars. Hey- he matches Bill!" she pointed out excitedly.

Hermione was startled at the comparison she had never made. It was true. Draco's scars were no different to Bill's, a wizard who lived his life very much in the public eye since Fleur was such a famous robes designer. She pondered over the thought for a few moments.

Ginny drained the remainder of her wine from her glass before standing. "I suppose I should get back home. Harry's probably climbing the walls by now."

"I suppose I should explain things to him too."

Ginny waved her hand in the air. "Let me handle Harry. Although maybe you could persuade Malfoy to join us for dinner? It might build some bridges."

"Just you two?"

"Just us. I don't think it would do him any well to introduce him to the entire family in one go. Little stages a time."

Hermione smiled at Ginny's wise words. "Little steps." She agreed.

Ginny pecked her on the cheek. "I'll Owl you tomorrow." She said.

Hermione nodded as she watched Ginny apparate away. Glancing at the clock, she realised an hour and a half had gone by. Standing from the sofa, she walked into the kitchen. She wasn't especially hungry anymore but there was no use in letting the food go to waste and so she bundled it up in a single bag, shrunk it so she was able to carry the bag without her arm feeling like it was going to be dislocated from her shoulder and glancing one last time over her home, she apparated to the Manor.

She found herself standing in the middle of Draco's bedroom, not realising that she had picked the area of the Manor she felt most at home. Draco stood from his armchair.

Hermione smiled as she lifted the bag. "I brought dinner." She said as she jiggled the bag slightly.

Draco stalked over to her, took the bag and deposited it on the table none too gently before he wrapped his arms around her. Hermione rested her cheek against his chest. She felt his heart beating rapidly against her ear.

"You came." He muttered under his breath.

"Of course I came, I told you I would."

"Yes you did."

He bent to kiss her, his tongue stroking against her gently.

"Dinner…" Hermione mumbled when she tried to gasp in a breath.

"I'm not hungry for food. You?"

"I'm not hungry either." She whispered back.

"Good…because I have plans for you Miss Granger."

And he carried her over to the bed. Her back hit the mattress and Hermione remembered. "Oh, before I forget, Ginny invited us over to eat dinner with her and Harry."

Draco dragged his head back until he was looking over her.

"I told her yes."

"Oh?"

"Little steps." Hermione reminded him.

Draco seemed to debate over the decision for a few moments before he smiled slightly. "Very well." He said plainly. "But I expect a reward." He said before resuming his previous actions.

Hermione kissed him back. Very well indeed.

* * *

_Author's Note: So that was it...what did you think? I understand it won't be everyone's cup of tea and I apologise if you didn't like it or it offended you in any way but I wanted to write something different that I hadn't tried before. Thank you so very much for being so patient with me over the last few months...and for those of you who sent me PM's to give me the kick up the butt I needed to write this story, I dedicate the oneshot to all of you. Thank you for reading and Until next time, Curiositykils. _

_P.S. If you do spot any mistake please do not hesitate to point them out to me. I'm sure I'll have missed something somewhere...or in multiple places as the case may be. _


	50. Day Fifty

**Day Fifty**

**1464 words**

**Rating: K  
**

* * *

Draco Malfoy stepped out of the lift. As always, he took in a deep breath and let the acrid hospital smell fly into his nose and burn his lungs.

In his left hand he held the cane he'd begun carrying over the last few years.

His mind automatically remembered the ribbing his wife had given him when he'd first started using it. No matter how many times he'd told her that it was simply a part of his image, just as his father before him, she'd scoffed and not believed a word he'd said… and neither had his hip.

A wry smile lifted the corners of his lips. Maybe she would rib him today? Maybe today would be the day?

In his right hand he held a large bunch of bright orange daisies. Her favourite flowers. He'd brought her a bouquet every day.

Forty-nine days.

Forty-nine large arrangements of bright orange daisies with everlasting charms placed on the blooms.

Forty-nine days of dashed hopes.

And today was day fifty. Tomorrow would be day fifty-one.

And he would continue because this is what he lived for. _She_ was what he lived for. She was the only thing he'd lived for, for decades.

He began the familiar walk to her room.

Pausing at the nurse's station as was his habit, he was briefly informed of any changes that might have occurred in the last 24 hours.

Of course there were none… nothing ever changed.

No matter how hard he wished or how hard he prayed or made future promises of good deeds as she had done her whole life.

Nothing ever changed.

The nurse accompanied him on the short walk to her room. He watched her enter first, being careful to keep his body hidden from view, his ears already straining to pick up every piece of their conversation.

"You have a visitor Mrs Malfoy." The nurse explained cheerfully.

He took in a deep breath and held it in his chest, his hand simultaneously tightening on the curved handle of his cane.

Maybe today…not yesterday…not the day before…but maybe today would be the day things changed.

"…Who is it?" came the hesitant reply.

The breath whooshed from his chest.

Day Fifty. _Fifty_ days of dashed hopes.

He bolstered himself up. Tomorrow…that would be the day his hopes would be answered. But for now…he was here to see his wife.

A smile stretched at his lips. Even after all these years, he couldn't wait until he laid eyes on her again.

"It's your husband."

The shock of the young witch's answer left him momentarily dazed. He had been expecting the brief pang of pain in his chest that normally accompanied the nurse's words.

It was part of the routine after all.

Close friend…that was what he was when she was having a good day.

Old school acquaintance who was visiting someone else…that was what he was when she was having a bad day.

Draco detested those days- his visits wouldn't even last an hour…and then he would have another twenty- four hour period before he could try again.

But _husband?_ Forty-nine days and he'd never once been her husband.

His mind began racing…what did this mean?

"My husband?" came her surprised cry.

And there was the pang of pain…but the whispers of hope refused to die away just yet.

"Yes and he's brought you flowers. Isn't that lovely?" came the ever cheerful voice.

"…Yes." Her voice still held obvious traces of hesitance.

"Why don't I go and get him for you?" the nurse offered and he heard the patter of her flat shoes against the shiny floor.

When she stepped out of the room, he looked at her with wide eyes.

"Husband?" he whispered, querying her words.

She offered him a sympathetic smile along with a compassionate pat on his hand. "It's been a while. The Healer thought we could try it for today and see how she reacts."

Draco swallowed. It was what he'd been dreaming of for so long but now that it was here, he wasn't so sure.

"Go on, she's waiting for you." The young witch encouraged.

He took in a deep breath and walked slowly into the room. As always, a jolt of love struck him in the chest as he caught her brown doe eyes. As he entered further and took his usual seat by her bed, she continued to look over him warily.

He extended the flowers and she accepted them tentatively, a small "Thank You," escaping from her mouth.

Her gaze flicked shyly from the flowers to him and he forgot to breathe. A small crinkle appeared on her forehead and he leaned forward in the chair.

This was it. This would be it. She would look at him and that connection would be made once more.

But as the long silence dragged by, his shoulders drooped.

"Hello love." He forced himself to speak, making sure to keep his disappointment hidden and his voice light.

"Hello." She replied back.

He waited patiently as she continued to study him. Their routine was back on track it seemed.

Her eyes took in his blond hair, his grey eyes which she quickly looked away from and the rest of his clothed body, her gaze pausing as she took in the ring on his left hand and then her bare one.

He swallowed tightly, forcing his mouth to stay closed and not push her further than she was comfortable with. He wanted this visit to last longer than an hour. His time with her was short enough as it was.

"How did we meet?" came the first question.

He smiled at the familiar enquiry. "We were at Hogwarts together."

Her head cracked to the side as she studied him, her fingers fiddling absently with one of the daisy's petals.

"We were friends." She stated.

He smiled once more. "Not quite."

Her puzzled frown deepened. "Tell me." She asked. "Tell me how we…"

Draco stiffened slightly. He knew what she was asking. It was what she always asked…every single day.

And for the past forty-nine days he hadn't been able to bring himself to tell her the truth.

The knowledge of the pain that would fill him if he told her the truth and she continued to look at him with the same blank eyes was something he wasn't sure he could handle.

There would be no hope left.

And so he had made up stories about their life together.

Forty-nine days.

Forty-nine stories.

He had told her tales of how they'd met. Lies.

Over the last forty-nine days their relationship had begun at Hogwarts, in a club, at a ball, at a café, at work, Merlin- even on the streets of Muggle London. He'd been her enemy, her friend, her lover, her colleague, her boss.

He'd told her tales of their married life, all the while pretending that he wasn't her husband and that the woman he was talking about, wasn't sitting right in front of him.

He'd told her how he'd made such a comedic muddle over his proposal to her, how he'd wooed her with coloured roses, how he'd tried to avoid meeting his parents in law for the first time, how he'd loved his daughter enough to protect her from Santa Claus.

That had made her laugh and he'd swallowed up every single sound and stored it deep in his heart for when they had a bad day.

But everything he'd told her had been false. And for once, it wasn't her naiveté that led her to believe the stories spewing forth from his mouth. It was the fact that she couldn't remember a damn thing about the decades they'd spent carving out a life together.

She didn't remember the day that they'd married. She didn't remember the birth of their first child. She didn't remember the holidays they'd taken over their lifetime together. Merlin, she didn't remember even the simplest things like how she always felt the need to make popcorn whenever it rained.

He took in a shaky breath.

Day fifty.

"Tell me about how we got together."

He looked into her wide, waiting eyes and breathed out.

Day fifty.

He was going to do it.

He would deal with any pain later…when he was alone in the shell of their family home that had once been filled to the brim with her warmth.

But today, for once, he was going to tell her the truth.

Swallowing tightly, he pushed the ball of anxieties back into his stomach. Settling back into the uncomfortable chair, he met her gaze head on, not fully believing that he was actually going to do this.

He opened his mouth and began speaking before he could change his mind.

"Well, the story begins…"

* * *

_Author's Note: Meus Contraho completus. Curiositykils.  
_


	51. Bonus Chapter: The Experiment II

**Bonus Chapter: The Experiment II**

**Sequel to The Experiment**

**2983 words**

**Rating: T  
**

* * *

_Dedicated to Phoenix Rebel, my lucky reviewer from Meus Contraho Duo. She requested a possible sequel to Rakes and Spinsters, Piracy on the High Seas, The Masked Man, The Experiment or Chronicles. The one I chose to continue was The Experiment so I hope you enjoy reading it and you have her to thank if you do._

* * *

Draco Malfoy stalked pass the carriages of the Hogwarts Express in a paced but determined stroll.

The loud and boisterous chatter seeped through into the corridor despite the many closed doors. The excitement over the end of another school year was evident in the face of every student Draco passed. Well it was until they saw him coming and quickly moved out of his way.

Draco paid no attention to them. He had waited for this moment for weeks…ever since that night in the library. After he had watched her run away from him, his lips still burning and tingling from the force of their last kiss, his confusion had left him in a panic.

One taste. That was all he'd wanted. All he'd needed. Correction, all he _thought_ he'd needed. In the days after their… interlude, he had taken care to avoid Granger at all costs, hoping that if he didn't see her then he would forget about what was supposed to have been a one-time occurrence.

It hadn't worked and after a week of taking his meals in the kitchen and sitting like a nerd in the front row of every class they shared in a bid to avoid being caught staring at the back of her head, he'd had enough.

Just one more taste. That was all. Before school ended and he never saw her again, he just needed one more taste.

It was all Granger's fault anyway. Why he'd needed to kiss her in the first place he didn't know. But when he had come up with his plan of tricking her into kissing him, he knew how the event was supposed to go. Merlin- she had only kissed less than a handful of wizards before.

Draco had expected a wet, clumsy kiss that would re-install his disgust and put an end to this unseemly obsession. But she had surprised him. No- not just surprised him- she'd shocked him.

Her mouth and body had done things to him that had left him jerking off in the boy's showers more times than he cared to admit and even then, he'd been left feeling unsatisfied in the pit of his stomach.

This time his mission was different. Now that he knew the little goody goody could kiss like a skilled vixen with five times her experience, he needed to find a fault that would ruin her in his mind.

Every witch Draco had made out with had a fault whether it was too much tongue or an inexplicable need to cuddle up to him when they'd finished.

So his mission tonight? Kiss her, fault her, leave her.

Draco stalked through a group of giggling first years that he swore only came up to his knees. He wasn't best pleased at having to carry out his mission on the Hogwarts Express where anyone could barge in on the two of them but the little vixen had given him no choice.

When he'd finally decided that one afternoon in Potions to stop avoiding her, he'd been flummoxed to find that whilst he'd taken to hiding out in the Slytherin Common Room like a bloody hermit, there had apparently been no need as _she_ had also been avoiding _him_!

And in the following weeks he'd found out that somehow she seemed to be much more superior at the act of evading than him. Every time he'd tried to pin her down, she'd managed to slither away from his grasp like a slippery snake.

Slowly the days had slipped away and now here he was. It was his last shot. His last chance to clear her from his head before they permanently parted ways. He shuddered at the thought of not kissing her again. Merlin knew what would happen if he didn't. She would probably have the indecency to haunt his thoughts for the remainder of his days.

Which was most definitely not an option.

And so he'd stuck Goyle on vixen-sitting duty with strict instructions to send him a message when Pot-head and Weasel buggered off for a little quiet time with their addled girlfriends.

The message had come three minutes ago and he'd bid goodbye to an occupied Blaise and his Ravenclaw to head off to where he knew Granger was sitting.

Another two minutes later, he came across Goyle and with a jerk of his head, sent him on his way.

Placing a Muffliato charm on the door, he quietly slid it open, his eyes immediately seeking out the brunette haired witch sitting by the window. Like the last time he'd approached her, she was sitting cross legged on the seat, a book open on her lap and her head bent, thick waves only giving him glimpses of her face.

Taking care to avoid tripping on her discarded trainers that lay by his feet, he quickly closed the door and placed a locking charm on it. An afterthought had him quickly placing a Silencing Charm on the carriage too.

Without looking up, she spoke. "Had a nice time with Lavender?" she asked vaguely, her attention still fixed solely on her book.

Draco gritted his teeth at the misguided assumption he was the Weasel. That was three punishments she now owed him. He crossed his arms over his chest in a lazy manner as he replied.

"Put the Weasel out of your mind, Granger. I can help with that."

Her reaction was just as he had expected. She gasped audibly, her head cracking in his direction, her spine stiffening and her body growing taut with alertness. She snapped the book shut with a loud thwack and stood up to face him head on.

"Malfoy. What are you doing in here? Get out. Now."

Draco smiled at the welcome. It looked like they would be doing this the hard way then. Not to worry, he'd prepared for this situation and had thought up a fresh batch of questions. Let the challenge begin.

"I thought you'd want the chance to redeem yourself. If I remember correctly, I came out top in our little experiment in the library the other night."

He watched her fold her arms across her chest defensively. "I don't want to talk about that. Now leave."

"Chicken again?"

Her mouth set in a mulish line even as her eyes flashed in anger. "If you think that's going to work on me again you have another think coming!"

Draco chuckled. "Oh come now Granger. I'm doing you a favour if you think about it."

"Oh really, and just how is that Malfoy?" she spat out.

Draco pitched forward and stepped closer to her. "Surely you don't want to leave Hogwarts knowing that I managed to get the better of you- and in such a simple test too." He needled.

Hermione stared at him, her face aghast. "You cheated Malfoy. You asked me trick questions!"

"They were simple questions were they not?" he asked her.

"That isn't the point!"

"Isn't it? I believe the challenge was that I could make a witch lose her mind. Asking such simple questions is an advantage to you."

For the first time in eight years, he watched Hermione splutter as words failed her. Anything she said would make it seem as if she was admitting she'd been wrong and he'd managed to do the unthinkable- switch off Hermione Granger's brain.

Satisfied with her silence, Draco couldn't keep the smirk of his lips. Her gaze zeroed in on it, her eyes narrowing and her facing turning stony. He quickly swiped the smirk from his face.

"So what do you say? Ready to try again?" he asked casually as if he was offering her a pumpkin pasty.

"Absolutely not!" she cried as she stomped the short way over to him. Pushing him none too gently out of her way with an elbow to his ribs, she took hold of the door handle and pulled with all her might when the door refused to budge.

She turned her accusing eyes on him. "Take the charm off!" she demanded.

Draco merely raised his eyebrows innocently, taking a step back and gesturing for her to have at the door. Affronted, she quickly pulled out her wand and murmured a litany of spells under her breath. When she tried to open the door once more, it remained firmly in place.

Her head whipped back to him. "Are you being serious?" she asked rhetorically.

Draco answered her question. "Deadly."

She took in a deep breath, her nostrils flaring before she turned away from him. She stepped over to her seat, plopped back down and dragged the book back over her hips.

Draco's lips twitched at her actions. "Ignoring me are you?" he asked, not the least bit surprised when she didn't respond. He took the seat directly opposite her. "Now who's being childish?"

He watched her jaw tick in anger. Smiling, he relaxed in his seat, his arms splaying out across the back of the seat as he stared at her. "I have no problem playing it your way. Although I don't think you want to explain my presence behind a locked door when Pot-head and Weasel return."

Apparently the idea hadn't struck her as she broke her ignoring him rule and tilted her head back up to him, her eyes wide with surprise and realisation that if Pot-head and Weasel found him in here with her, he would have no problem in telling them everything that had occurred between them in the library.

She chose that moment to curse at him and it wasn't a half-arsed curse either. Despite the red embarrassment that stained her cheeks after she'd spoken, Draco couldn't help but raise his eyebrows, impressed at her words.

"I have no problems agreeing to that." He said with a shrug of his shoulders.

Pushing the book off her lap, she studied him closely. And he let her.

"You really do think highly of yourself don't you?"

He knew what she was referring to and smiled arrogantly. "I've never had a witch complain." He leaned forward. "And I do mean _never_."

Her jaw clenched once more and she let out an angry breath of air. "I was too traumatised to complain at the time."

Draco raised his eyebrows, catching her out on her lie.

She glared at him with a humph.

"Yes, I've all the time in the world." He said to himself.

"Fine!" She snarled at him. "Hurry up and get this over with before they come back."

Draco stood from his seat and she hesitantly did the same. "I take it the rules are the same as last time." She asked.

Draco nodded as he stepped into her space, causing her to tilt her head up to look at him. "One kiss. One question."

He followed the motion of her tongue as it quickly peeked out and unconsciously ran over her full bottom lip. His mouth watered.

"Ready." He asked, his eyes still on her mouth.

He missed the rolling motion of her eyes. "Just do it." She said as she tilted her head up further, her eyes closing to half-mast.

Gladly, he thought as he bent his head to hers.

There was no messing around this time. No gently introducing her to the taste and feel of him. He had waited too long to be patient. He stroked her lip with his tongue and she, despite all her standoffishness, gave him entrance instantly. He had to force himself to hold in his groan and move back before he lost himself.

"The question. Why are 1817 Knuts worth more than 1816 Knuts?"

Draco watched Hermione's eyes widen in anticipation and he knew she'd fallen in his trap. With an air of supremacy, she regurgitated what they'd learnt in History of Magic a few weeks earlier.

"Because of the Goblin War in 1817!" she said excitedly, her face flushed brightly.

Draco bent his head down. "Wrong." He told her. He smiled slightly at the comical look on her face. "Because 1817 Knuts is one more Knut than 1816."

Her flush turned redder. "My answer's correct!" she informed him with a stomp of her foot.

"But it wasn't the answer I was looking for."

She tensed in his hold, ready to fight further. Draco quickly spoke. "But of course, if you want to win on a mere technicality. I'm sure you won't have any problem with that at all."

"What are you implying?"

"What does it sound like I'm implying? We can quibble here all night but I thought you wanted to hurry things along."

She sent him a death glare but offered her lips all the same. Draco took. The kiss was on a whole different level to the first. Lips weren't the only thing involved. Draco's hands wandered over her neck and back, pulling her closer to his chest until there wasn't an ounce of space between them. He heard and revelled in the moan that inadvertently spilled from her throat.

Hot puffs of air hit his lips when he leaned his head back and the look on Granger's face, her eyes still closed, her cheeks red and her lips plump and bruised had him leaning back down for another hard brush.

One little fist came to rest on the lapel of his robes and he actually tried to hold the breath in his chest for fear she would realise what she'd done.

He quickly spewed out a question. "If you had only one match and entered a dark room containing an oil lamp, some newspaper, and some kindling wood, which would you light first?

"The oil lamp."

"And how would you get that lit?" he questioned softly.

She opened her eyes and looked at him. "With the match." She replied, her voice still breathy with the air she was sucking in.

"Which means you'd need to light that first." He said.

Her brow furrowed as she went over his question and she surprised him when instead of shouting out something along the lines of how he'd cheated, she merely closed her eyes and groaned. "The match was already lit." she directed to his chest.

Draco chuckled. "I don't remember mentioning that," he said at the same time as he lifted her chin and kissed her again.

The kiss was pleasantly slow and leisurely. They danced with their mouths and Draco found himself stroking the smoothness of her cheek with the pad of his thumb. Vaguely he realised that he had wanted to find a fault with her and he hadn't so far. He pushed the thought away, wanting to concentrate fully on the witch in his arms.

A minute later, he drew away. It took him a few seconds to remember the question and it was made even more difficult when he felt Granger's hands absently stroking his shoulders as she lent her head against his chest.

"Before Mount Everest was discovered, what was the highest mountain in the world?"

She looked up at him in confusion. "I-I don't know. K2?"

"Nope. Mount Everest."

"B-But, you said-" she said confusingly.

"Mount Everest was still the highest even though it had not been discovered yet."

He was actually graced with a small smile before she began shaking her head as if smiling at his Slytheriness. "One more." He said as he traced the curve of her spine with a finger, causing her to tremble in his arms.

She looked up at him. "I'm going to get this one." She told him.

Draco smiled. "Of course you are," he said as he kissed her again. He didn't want to say or do anything to rock the boat. By some miracle, she was still kissing him and he could feel the smile stretched across her lips as he pecked along it. He kept the kiss brief and short, knowing not to push his luck.

"If a plane crashes on the border between China and India, where do the Ministry bury the survivors?"

"Wherever they were from?"

"Oh little vixen. Didn't you know it's illegal to bury living people?"

Her eyes showed comprehension of the words he'd used and Draco was about to indulge in a victory kiss, his palms already cupping her cheeks and lifting her head to him when he heard a banging on the door.

"Hermione, why isn't the door opening?" came the Weasel's muffled voice.

The witch in question stiffened in Draco's arms, her eyes growing wider by the second and the arms that had just a moment ago been clutching at him, began pushing him away. Not that he was having any of it. He kept hold of her tightly and she looked up at him frantically.

"Malfoy." She whispered.

He bent towards her, knowing they only had a few moments. Slamming his lips down on hers, he gave her a bruising kiss that was much too short.

"How many cheeks do you have?" he asked when he'd pulled back.

She looked up at him, puzzled at the easy question. "Two." She replied confidently.

He smiled as his arms slid down her back. The door to the carriage burst open and two wizards came tumbling through it. When she would have looked away, Draco pressed his forehead against hers.

"Wrong. Four. Count them," he said teasingly, his arms slipping down to caress the two he had gripped many times in his dreams.

She gasped audibly at his audacity considering they weren't in private.

"What?! G-Get your hands of Hermione's a-arse!" Ron spluttered in a loud voice as he stared dumbfound at the two of them.

Draco simply laughed out loud. He had come here looking for a fault and it seemed he had found one. Or should he say two.

He looked back down at the witch currently struggling to remove herself from his tight hold.

Merlin- was he actually thinking it was worth it? Merlin's balls, he was.

* * *

_Author's Note: More bonus chapters will be coming in the future as I continue to pick out my lucky reviewers from Meus Contraho Duo so make sure to check it out and review! I already have the next number in my head! Until next time, Curiositykils. _


	52. Bonus Chapter: Sober

**Sober**

**Drunken Stupor Trilogy Part III **

**Sequel to Drunken Stupor and Half Drunk Stupor**

**2904 words**

**Rating: M**

* * *

_Hello! I'm sure many of you remember the author's note I posted in August sometime regarding Fandom for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. If not, read below for a short summary of what the event is and how fanfiction authors contributed. Thank you to everyone who donated to the cause and I hope you enjoyed reading the below oneshot. Now that the exclusivity period is over, I can share Sober (Drunken Stupor Trilogy Part III) which everyone else._

_Fandom for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is an event which has raised over $7000 in the last two years for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the world's largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer._

_The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world and provides free information and support services._

_Fandom for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society has a very simple premise. Over the last two years, authors in the Twilight and Hunger Games fandoms have donated a compilation of one shots, outtakes and new writing pieces which are offered to those who donate a minimum of $10 to the worthy cause. This year the Harry Potter fandom was welcomed into the fold._

_Congratulations to everyone who donated and contributed. We helped raise over $7700!_

_I hope those of you who have requested a conclusion to the Drunken Stupor Trilogy over the years enjoyed/enjoy reading the piece. Merry Christmas!_

_Curiositykils._

* * *

**Day 1- Hermione**

Hermione watched stoically as Blaise Zabini apparated out of her home with an angry pop. The tears she'd been holding in her throat until her glands pained with effort finally slipped free as she slumped in her seat.

She had to be strong, she told herself. She _couldn't _go back.

The mantra repeated over and over again in her head.

_Be Strong_. This was for Draco's own good. He needed to get better. And it was perfectly clear that there was nothing she could do to help him.

And yet she still couldn't believe what Blaise had told her. She had foolishly, no… _naively_ hoped that Draco seeing her leave him because of his drinking would push him into getting the help he needed.

Blaise's recent visit had dashed any hopes she'd had of that occurring.

The former Slytherin has berated her for leaving Draco when he apparently needed her so much. Hermione had tried to tell the wizard that there was nothing she could do to help Draco anymore.

The words spoken by the blond yesterday still echoed in her ears.

"_If you want to leave then leave. I don't give a Hippogriff shit."_

Hermione hadn't been able to explain to Blaise just how little she meant to his friend anymore.

Draco didn't care about her anymore.

All he was concerned about was his precious alcohol, she thought bitterly.

"_Why should I care?"_

The words drifted into Hermione's head once more and she wiped away her tears angrily.

…But still, despite everything, she continued to war with herself internally. Blaise's words on Draco's condition burned inside her head and the love she had for the wizard desperately made her want to apparate over to Malfoy Manor and make sure he was okay.

Of course he wasn't. Blaise had seen fit to tell her that. Along with the fact that it was partly her fault for leaving him.

Hermione couldn't help the anger she felt rising inside of her.

_How dare he?_ How dare Draco make it clear that she meant nothing to him and then the next day use her leaving him as an excuse for falling into yet _another_ drunken stupor?

Enough. It was all enough. Hermione had made her decision yesterday- _apparently the right one_- and she needed to stick to it.

She couldn't watch Draco kill himself slowly. She _wouldn't_. She'd done it for the last five months and it hurt too much.

She refused to do it anymore.

But even as she made the firm decision, she couldn't help but make a wish…

_Please Draco, get better soon…_

ooo

**Day 9- Draco**

His eyes burned with gritty tiredness…and yet despite this- despite the fogginess obscuring his mind- there was still one memory that refused to let him drift off to sleep.

…The staggering hurt in her beautiful brown eyes as he'd destroyed whatever love she'd had for him.

He couldn't believe it. Still couldn't believe she'd actually gone and left him. Draco knew she'd threatened him with it but he never actually thought she'd follow through with it.

_How could she? _Didn't she see how much he needed her? What was he supposed to do now? Alone- without her?

His lips sneered in disgust. So much for her so called love for him. He was nothing to her, not if she could leave him so easily.

Well fuck her then.

Draco lifted his heavy arm until the neck of the bottle he was barely holding upright met with his lips; his teeth inadvertently banging into the glass and tingling at the force of the impact.

He washed away the burn and it was replaced with a new one that settled deep in his stomach.

The fire from the hearth danced in front of his eyes, causing them to burn once more.

Fuck, _he couldn't even sleep because of her. _

He tried once again to close his eyes but the usual image drifted back through his mind and the anger he felt towards her fell away.

Her beautiful hurt eyes seared his heart.

Draco quickly re-opened his eyes and purposely stared into the fire until his retina's scorched with pain.

Unconscious tears sprang from his eyes in a bid to protect themselves from the light. They leaked down the side of his face until they were soaked up by his hair and then the pillowcase.

And then a few moments later, they were joined by new tears…ones of heartache and pain.

ooo

**Day 22- Draco**

"Get the fuck out Zabini." Draco snarled as he turned his back on his friend and business partner.

His hands shook involuntary and Draco fisted his palms in an effort to control the tremors.

_Fuck he needed a drink. _

Where the bloody hell had the house elves put the rest of the whiskey?

"Draco, you need to sort yourself out. I mean for Merlin's sake it's been over three weeks since Hermione left you. You need to dry yourself out and get back to work!"

Draco scoffed. He didn't need to do anything other than figure out where the bloody hell his elves were hiding his alcohol.

"Draco!"

"What?!" Draco snarled out as he turned around in a jagged whirl.

He watched in silence as Blaise looked him over once, evidently not thinking much of what he saw since he proceeded to shake his head in what Draco presumed was disgust.

Fuck him.

Draco turned away from his friend's judgement and resumed his previous searching.

His whole body nearly swam with relief when he finally caught sight of the bottle and he was forced to clench onto the wooden shelves in front of him in a bid to remain upright.

Once he was sure he wasn't about to fall on his arse, his arm reached out and settled firmly around the bottle.

"Fucking hell, Draco. Look at you! When was the last time you went outside for some fresh air? When was the last time you slept- _fuck_- took a shower?"

"Fuck you Zabini!" Draco gritted out.

He heard Blaise scoff in disgust, "Merlin, no wonder Hermione left you. You're acting pathetic."

The words rang out in the still kitchen and there was silence for two short seconds before Draco spun around, pulled his arm back and hurled the bottle of whiskey at Zabini's head.

The wizard ducked it easily and Draco watched it sail over the man's body before it hit the stone wall behind him and splinter into a thousand pieces.

The precious liquid trailed down the wall and landed in an ever growing puddle on the floor.

There was a shocked silence. And then…

"Fucking sort yourself out, Malfoy. I'm done covering for you at work." Blaise spat out before he apparated away.

Draco watched the empty space where his friend had been standing blankly and then his eyes turned to look at broken bottle on the floor.

_Fuck. _

He turned around and instantly began rummaging around the cabinet, growing more and more frustrated as he came up empty handed.

Gritting his teeth, he called out for his house-elf.

"Where's the whiskey?" he demanded.

The creature cowered in front of him, taking in the scene and the broken bottle with wide eyes.

"That was the last bottle, Master Malfoy."

Draco merely stared at the elf in silence…and then anger. "Get my money pouch," he barked out.

The elf popped away and once he was alone in the kitchen, Draco let go and fell to the floor. He dragged his fingers through his hair, scraping his nails over his scalp in a familiar motion.

The action didn't soothe him as it had done when Hermione had done it to him.

_Hermione…_

Three weeks and he fucking missed her.

The elf popped back into the room and Draco took the money bag from his out-stretched hands.

He needed to apparate to Diagon Alley.

ooo

**Day 22- Hermione**

Hermione sipped her wine and savoured the fruity taste as it danced over her tongue. It was the first time in a long time she'd dared to drink, having avoided anything alcoholic when she was with Draco in fear it would set him off, but it had been three weeks and she had something to celebrate.

The business dinner that was currently nearing its end had been extremely fortuitous and now that the investment had been secured, thanks to the man sitting opposite her, her dream of opening up another bookstore/café in Diagon Alley was that much closer.

Hermione couldn't help the smile that spread across her lips as she balanced her wine glass on the table once more.

Things were _finally_ looking up.

"More wine?" Oliver asked from opposite her.

Hermione shook her head no and the Scottish wizard emptied the bottle into his own glass.

"Dinner was wonderful," he commented.

Hermione nodded her head in agreement, "It's a shame Katie missed it. You'll have to bring her here so she can try the food out for herself."

Oliver laughed, "Just as soon as she gets past her first trimester and stops throwing up day and night."

Hermione smiled as she glanced out of the window. She jolted in her seat, the smile sliding completely off her face as she met Draco's eyes.

He was standing on the pavement outside the restaurant, a brown papered bag in his left hand whilst his right was clenched into a tight fist.

He looked…_awful_.

Hermione ran her eyes from top to bottom, taking in his greasy, messy hair, his wrinkled clothes and his scuffed boots.

"Draco." She breathed out in a whisper.

Her silent murmur of his name seemed to snap him out of his daze and Hermione watched the pain slip from his face only to be replaced by anger.

She felt Oliver cover her hand with his and snapped her head back to face the wizard. He was looking at her worriedly, "Is everything okay?" he asked.

Hermione snatched her hand back, her head bobbing up and down in silence, "I'm sorry, I just see someone I know- if you'll just give me a minute-" she said quickly, her eyes glancing back out of the window.

She froze in a half standing position as she realised Draco was nowhere to be seen anymore. Realising just what she'd been about to do, Hermione immediately slumped back down into her seat but she couldn't stop her eyes from rapidly darting around the street outside to see if she could spot Draco's retreating figure anywhere.

It was useless.

He was gone.

In a bid to wet her suddenly dry mouth, Hermione gulped down another sip of wine before grimacing.

The fruity taste had disappeared leaving behind a strong bitter taste that she found difficult to swallow. But swallow she did as she gazed back out of the window.

Her mind spun as she contemplated the last few seconds.

_Merlin…he looked awful. _

ooo

**Day 23- Draco**

Draco opened his eyes and for the first time in what seemed like an age, his head wasn't dizzy and his eyes weren't blurry.

The only evidence of the drunken binge he'd gone on all last night was the furry coating on his tongue. He swallowed heavily as he turned his head to the side. The answer as to why he felt so much better than he had in a while was explained when he saw the time.

The watched showed it to be five in the evening. He'd slept for just over fifteen hours and he hadn't been plagued with images of _her_ all night.

His chest twinged as his mind remembered what he'd seen last night.

She'd been on a date.

It was actually over...

Whilst he'd spent the last three or so weeks in a drunken coma, she'd spent it moving on from him.

And she'd looked so pretty.

Her hair had been different- maybe she'd got it cut?

Remembering what he'd looked like, Draco's face began burning in embarrassment.

Merlin- Blaise had been right.

He was _pathetic._

What the fuck did he have to offer Hermione? Certainly a lot bloody less than the wizard who'd been sat opposite her last night.

And yet she'd chosen Draco. She'd seen _something_ in him that had made her go out with him.

But he'd destroyed that…No- his _fucking drinking_ had destroyed that.

What the hell had he been thinking? What in Merlin's name was wrong with him?

Is this what he wanted his life to be like? Waking up each morning, alone in a cold Manor with his hand still clenched around the neck of a bottle?

Said hand fisted at the same time as his teeth ground together. Shoving the covers off his enraged body, Draco got out of bed and stalked to the bathroom before he uncorked the bottle in his hand and tipped it over.

He watched in satisfaction as the liquid sunk down the plughole but the bottle was quickly emptied and before he lost his momentum, he hurried to do the same to the remaining two bottles he'd purchased last night.

When the deed was done, he looked at his bloodshot eyes in the mirror, critically studying his reflection.

Fucking hell, he needed a shower. But first there was something else he needed to do.

With panic already building up in his stomach, Draco moved out of the bathroom and into his bedroom. He pulled open the drawer to his desk and retrieved the small piece of card Hermione had given him weeks before.

Before he could change his mind, he penned a note to the psychologist and watched as the Owl disappeared into the sunset.

ooo

**Day 202- Hermione**

When Hermione awoke that morning, she never expected it to be the day that she bumped into Draco again.

Since the last time they'd seen each other from opposite ends of the window of Juniper restaurant, Hermione hadn't heard a peep on anything regarding Draco Malfoy.

But here he was. Stood right in front of her…and he looked well.

He looked as he had done before Lucius's death. His hair glossy and shiny, his skin still pale but no longer gaunt, his body lean but healthy.

She'd gasped when she'd bumped into him as she was coming out of the Leaky Cauldron. She'd managed to choke out a hushed whisper of his name when her mind had kicked back into gear and reminded her that she was staring at him silently…rudely.

At his name being spoken, Draco had snapped out of his own perusal of Hermione's body and he returned her greeting.

"H-How are you?" Hermione asked stiltedly.

She watched a wry smile twist Draco's lips as he realised just what she was asking. "I'm well…and you?"

Hermione nodded her head. "Good." She breathed out.

Silence descended between them, filled with awkward tension.

Despite her not wanting to leave, social pressure forced Hermione to do something other than continue to stand silently in the doorway of the Leaky Cauldron and so she cleared her throat. "…Well- it was…nice seeing you again."

Draco nodded and just as Hermione was about to leave, he spoke, "Thirty days!" he blurted out.

Hermione turned to face him with a frown. "I'm sorry?"

She watched in fascination as red colour washed over Draco's face before he ducked his head and sighed. "I got my thirty day certificate a few days ago."

Realisation dawned and Hermione spoke the first thing that came into her head without thinking, "Thirty days?"

As soon as she said the words she wanted to snatch them back but she couldn't do anything other than wince.

Before she could apologise, Draco replied, "There were a few lapses in the beginning." He admitted with an embarrassed tone.

Hermione rushed to reassure him. "No- I'm sorry that was rude of me. Thirty days is a great achievement Draco. You should be proud."

Draco nodded simply before silence descended between them once again.

Not knowing what to say or whether the conversation was over, Hermione turned to leave when Draco's palm brushed over her arm.

"There's a ceremony. It's stupid I know…but they said we could invite our family and since Lucius and my Mother are both…Maybe- Blaise is coming… but maybe you'd think about…"

Hermione bit her lip, deep down wanting to accept Draco's invitation but her head continued telling her it was a bad idea.

"I- I don't know Draco…" she whispered.

He shook his head. "Forget it. It's nothing anyway. I have to get going…I'm glad you're well Hermione." And then he turned to leave.

Hermione watched him walk away, guilt bubbling away in her stomach and it only churned the worse as he walked further away from her.

Her heart beat out over her head and she spoke before she could tell herself that this was a bad idea. "Draco!" she called out softly, waiting for him to turn around before she continued, "If you Owl me…I'll be there."

Draco looked as shocked as she felt before a tiny smile formed at his lips. He nodded his head once before turning around.

Hermione stepped out of the Leaky Cauldron and into the sunshine- her heart feeling a lot lighter than it had in a long time.

One thought ran through her head. That it may be more than a few months late but at least her wish of Draco getting better was finally coming true.

_Thank Merlin. _


End file.
